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BARNEY OLDFIELD'S 
BOOK FOR THE MOTORIST 







Barney Oldfield 




« 









BARNEY OLDFIELD’S 
BOOK FOR THE MOTORIST 


BY 

BARNEY OLDFIELD 


With a Sketch of 
Barney Oldfield’s Life 
by Homer C. George 



BOSTON 

SMALL, MAYNARD & COMPANY 
PUBLISHERS 





Copyright, 1918 

By KING FEATURES SYNDICATE, Inc. 

Copyright, 1919 

By SMALL, MAYNARD & COMPANY 
(incorporated) 


® t 

I « < 



-VvO \ 










CONTENTS 


CHAPTER PAGE 

Introduction.17 

I Buying the New Car.47 

II Study Your Instruction Book . . 59 

III Breaking in the New Car ... 66 

IV Don’t Speed; Be Sane .... 73 

V Learn to Drive Efficiently . . 79 

VI Practice Economy in Driving . . 90 

VII Helping Keep Your Car New . . 100 

VIII How to Wash Your Car .... 108 
IX Lubrication Most Important . . Ill 

X Noises and How to Cure Them . . 127 

XI Caring for Your Storage Battery 144 
XII Starting and Lighting Troubles . 159 

XIII Consider Your Spark Plug . . . 172 

XIV The Care of Tires.185 

XV Avoid Overheating the Power 

Plant.194 

XVI Preparation the Big Item . . . 203 

XVII The Repair Kit for Touring . . 212 



Contents 

CHAPTER PAGE 

XVIII Protect Your Car in the Winter . 219 

XIX Overhauling the Car .... 225 

XX Cold Weather Drivinc .... 233 

XXI . How to Store the Car for the 

Winter. 238 

XXII Join an Automobile Club . . . 245 

XXIII The Anti-Glare Problem . . . 249 

XXIV Driving Suggestions and Dont’s . 255 
XXV Semi-Monthly Inspection of Car . 260 



LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS 


PAGE 

Barney Oldfield. Frontispiece 

Barney Oldfield in the Blitzen Benz with which 

he lowered so many world’s records . . 35 

Barney Oldfield’s “Golden Submarine” in ac¬ 
tion .39 

Chassis of a modern car showing major parts 
with which every owner should be famil¬ 
iar .49 

Layout of instruments and driving mechanism 


in a typical front compartment ... 53 

Another type of driving and control mechan¬ 
ism .57 

Front view of an Engine showing various parts 

of the motor.. 61 

Front view of motor showing controls ... 81 

Gasoline feed system of the car of to-day . . 91 


A typical crankshaft and bearings layout . . 101 

Lubrication chart of a typical six-cylinder 

chassis .112-113 

Lubrication chart of a Ford.115 

Four-cylinder engine lubrication system . . 119 

Action of oil in a pump and splash system . 123 
Section of a four-cylinder engine .... 129 

Clutch and transmission.133 

A rear axle ..137 








Illustrations 


filling. 


Clutch of the dry-plate disc type . 

Modern battery layout and ignition system 

Heat effects, etc. 

Cross-section view of a storage battery 
Cross-section of a cell showing solution too 

low. 

1. Sulphated plates, the result of noi 
2. Effect of over-filling a battery 

Typical electrical wiring of a car . 

Diagram of a modern electric system 
Coil-box and wiring on a Ford 

An ignition system. 

Testing spark plug. 

Keep the tires properly inflated 

How a motor is cooled by the thermo 

system. 

The operation of a Ford motor, with special 
reference to valves and the cylinder as¬ 
sembly . 

Sectional view of a modern transmission sys¬ 
tem . 

Ready for storage. 


PAGE 

141 


_/ 


145 
149 ^ 
153 J 

157 ^ 

161 
165 
169 
173 ^ 
177 
181 
187 


syphon 


195 




205 

215 ^ 
239 


Note.— Credit for certain illustrations is due to 
The Hudson Motor Car Company, The Chalmers 
Motor Company, The Ford Motor Company, The 
Willard Storage Battery Company, The Firestone 
Tire and Rubber Company, The Maxwell Motor 
Company and Dodge Bros. 








INTRODUCTION 










INTRODUCTION 


In every line of human achievement some 
one name stands out as pre-eminent. And 
the rule holds good in the world of sport. 
Baseball has its Tyrus Cohb; John L. Sullivan 
is the immortal hero of the prize ring; Vardon 
the commanding figure in the history of golf. 

In automobile racing, the name which has 
become a household word in every civilized 
country is that of Barney Oldfield. Others 
have equalled, and even surpassed, his speed 
achievements, but he was the pioneer, and to 
him belongs the enduring glory. As the first 
great American driver, Barney Oldfield was 
the first man who dared risk his life to crowd 
a mile within the fleeting compass of sixty sec¬ 
onds; the first, at a later period of automobile 
development, to realize the terrific speed of 
130 miles an hour. The fact that others have 
broken Oldfield’s records cannot dim the lus¬ 
ter of his fame. Many a discoverer crossed 

17 


Introduction 


the ocean after Columbus, in faster and better 
ships. 

The story of Barney Oldfield’s life is a 
romance and an inspiration. It is romantic, 
because it is as full of incident and color as 
a novel of adventure. It is inspirational, be¬ 
cause it shows how a boy of humble origin 
can rise to fame. 

Barney Oldfield was born of sturdy but 
humble farming parentage, in a little loghouse 
three miles from Waseon, Fulton County, 
Ohio. At the time of his birth, January 29th, 
1878, his parents were struggling under the 
burden of a mortgage, on a quarter section of 
poor farmland which yielded meager returns 
for their toil. For eleven years, Oldfield re¬ 
mained on the home farm, living the slow, la¬ 
borious life of the farm youngster of that 
period, rising at dawn to do the chores, little 
dreaming that fame and fortune were waiting 
for him in later years. 

At the age of eleven he and his parents 
moved to Toledo. For four years he attended 
public school and helped support the family 

by carrying newspapers. He is still remem- 

18 


Introduction 


bered as a newsboy by some of the old inhab¬ 
itants, who bought the Toledo Blade and the 
Toledo Bee from the future racing champion, 
then an unknown barefoot urchin. 

When his summer vacation came in 1892, 
Oldfield worked as a water hoy with a rail¬ 
road section gang. At this period he devel¬ 
oped the love of speed which was to he his 
guiding influence through life, saving forty- 
five dollars to buy a solid-tired bicycle, the 
“Advance,” on which he practised with the ul¬ 
timate hope of becoming a racer. On going 
hack to school that fall, he found that prac¬ 
tical things interested him more than learning, 
and he decided to give up his studies. Will¬ 
ing to take whatever came first to hand, pro¬ 
vided it gave him an honest living, Oldfield 
donned a white apron and jacket and waited at 
table in the Toledo Insane Asylum. A little 
later the white apron was discarded for a bell¬ 
hop’s brass buttons and uniform, and for a 
while he chased up and down stairs with ice 
water in the famous old Boody House. Then 
he switched over to the more modern Monti- 

cello Hotel, where he became elevator hoy. 

19 


Introduction 


But an elevator, while it offered a certain 
amount of risk, was not an ideal speed vehicle 
for Barney Oldfield, and with the tips he col¬ 
lected, he managed to purchase a ’’Dauntless' 
bicycle, equipped with pneumatic tires. 

And thus, for the first time, Barney found 
himself riding on air. He had found his true 
vocation. To satisfy his craving for speed, he 
used to rise at dawn, when the streets were 
deserted, and hum up the boulevards at a 
pace which seemed to justify his hopes of later 
becoming a racer. 

In the spring of 1894, he purchased a real 
racing wheel, the ’’Royal Flush,” and made 
his debut as an amateur rider in an eighteen- 
mile road race, held on May 30. He won 
second place, and second time prize. This 
encouraged him to enter other races, but he 
got more spills than trophies. One of his ac¬ 
cidents resulted in two broken collar bones. 

Dividing his time between running the ele¬ 
vator and riding the bicycle, he became an 
experienced rider, and in 1895 participated in 
the Ohio state championship races at Canton, 

riding a “Dauntless” and finishing second in 

20 


Introduction 


the three leading events, winning two silver 
medals and a gold watch. 

By this time Oldfield was a husky youth of 
athletic build, with sound mind and muscle, 
and something of a local reputation. He for¬ 
sook the hotel job and went to work as a bi¬ 
cycle repairman and salesman. It was at this 
time Barney Oldfield developed an ambition 
to become a pugilist. Dan Bailiff, a Lima 
heavyweight, undertook to train him with an 
idea of making him an aspirant for middle¬ 
weight honors, but Barney overworked him¬ 
self and fell a victim to typhoid. By the time 
he was cured, the fighting bugs had also been 
eliminated from his system. 

In 1896 Oldfield signed a contract with 
E. C. Stearns and Company to join its team 
as a paid amateur and ride one of its yellow 
bicycles. He was a decided success, and cap¬ 
tured most of the open prizes for which he 
competed. The result was that for the next 
three years, first as an amateur, and then as a 
professional, he followed the bicycle racing 
game, becoming one of the big figures in the 
Middle West and, subsequently, in the East. 

21 


Introduction 


Successively he rode a "‘Racycle,” “National 
Cliainless” and “Tribune.” 

In 1902, Oldfield met Tom Cooper, who was 
destined to play an important part in his life. 
Cooper, a former bicycle champion, had for¬ 
saken the bicycle game and formed a partner¬ 
ship with Henry Ford, then an almost un¬ 
known electrician and mechanic in Detroit. 
They two were engaged in their historic, 
though then derided efforts, to build the two 
high-powered racing automobiles subsequently 
known as “999” and the “Red Devil.” 

When Cooper offered Oldfield a job as head 
mechanic, Barney saw his chance to break into 
the automobile game, and immediately an¬ 
swered the call, having foresight enough to 
realize that the motor was destined to 
supersede the bicycle as a speed and racing 
vehicle. 

The “Red Devil and “999” were ghastly 
failures in their first tryout, and Ford, in dis¬ 
gust, sold the two cars, together with the shop 
and equipment, to Oldfield and Cooper for 
$800. I hey rebuilt the cars and shipped 

them to Cleveland to make their debut in a 

22 


Introduction 


meet promoted by Carl Fisher and Earl Kiser. 
The '“Red DeviF’ wouldn’t run at all, and old 
u 999” was so balky and headstrong that she 
required a crew of three men to keep her go¬ 
ing. “Spider’" Huff acted as driver, Cooper 
rode as mechanician, while Oldfield perched 
ion the rear of the car, blowing pressure into 
the gasoline tank, with no other pump than 
his own lungs and a rubber tube. In this 
comic manner did Barney Oldfield enter the 
field in which he was destined to win world¬ 
wide fame. They got twenty-five per cent, of 
the gross receipts for entering the race, but 
as they won no prizes, the meet netted them 
only a few dollars. 

Nothing daunted, with borrowed money 
they worked old “999” over, and shipped her 
to Detroit. It was then against the law to 
drive an automobile through the city streets, 
so they towed her behind a borrowed horse 
out to the Grosse Point track. 

While awaiting the day of the race, Oldfield 
got an opportunity to experiment a little on 
his own hook, and discovered that he could 

get more speed out of “999” than either Huff 

23 


Introduction 


or Cooper. So they decided he should drive 
against Alexander Winton and his famous 
“Winton Bullet/" The promoters of the race 
offered a purse of $200 on the side to any car 
that made a mile in that race, in faster time 
than the “Bullet.” 

The race was run on October 23, 1902. “I 
confess that I was a trifle timid and a little bit 
frightened,” Oldfield said afterwards. “I re¬ 
member how a friend of mine came to the car 
just before the start and said, 

44 * You’d better be careful, Barney; you 
know you are liable to be killed.’ ” 

4 T thought a moment, and then remember¬ 
ing that my pockets were empty, I managed 
to reply, 

“ 'Well, I might as well be dead as broke.’ ” 
And Barney Oldfield, competing against the 
fastest known car and an experienced racing 
driver, not only won the race, but the $200 
purse as well. His fastest mile was one min¬ 
ute and four and four-fifths seconds. His 
time for the five miles was five minutes and 
twenty seconds. His success won him imme¬ 
diate fame for it was due more to his daring 

24 


Introduction 


and ability as a driver than to the superior 
excellence of the car. 

On December 1 of the same year, on the 
same track, Oldfield beat the Winton time rec¬ 
ord, driving a mile in one minute and one and 
one-fifth seconds. William Parrett had prom¬ 
ised him $250 if he would break the record in 
“999” using Diamond tires, hut Parrott held 
up the money until the record was accepted as 
official by the American Automobile Associa¬ 
tion. 

Fame alone wouldn’t buy grub, and Old¬ 
field went to work as a mechanic at two dollars 
a day with the Yale Automobile Company. A 
short time afterwards he became a bicycle 
salesman, making a living until the following 
spring, when he went to Detroit to join Cooper 
and overhaul “999” and the iu Red Devil” for 
the coming season. 

On Memorial Day Oldfield drove “999” 
on the Empire City track at New York, win¬ 
ning over Charles Wridgway in a “Peerless,” 
and making his fastest mile in one minute and 
one and three-fifths seconds. This was offi¬ 
cially recognized as the world’s record, his 

25 


Introduction 


previous exploit for Parrett never having been 
accepted as official. Oldfield won forty per 
cent, of the gross receipts that day and was 
presented with a silver championship trophy. 
Oldfield immediately went back to Ohio with 
this prize money and paid off the mortgage 
on his father’s house. 

The famous “Ford Feud" race between Old¬ 
field and his old partner, Tom Cooper, fol¬ 
lowed shortly afterwards. At Indianapolis 
Barney won the five-mile event easily, and, as 
the track was fast, the promoters and officials 
asked him to try to establish a new time rec¬ 
ord. Carl Fisher went into the grandstand 
and collected a purse of $250 which was to 
go to Oldfield if he covered a mile in less than 
sixty seconds. 

“Hang the money on the post,” said Old¬ 
field, “and I’ll make one minute flat look 
sick.” 

He drove the mile in fifty-nine and three- 
fifths seconds, being the first auto driver in 
the world to establish a mile-a-minute record, 
one of the exploits which looms large in the 


26 


Introduction 


catalogue of deeds which contributed to his 
lasting fame. 

In subsequent races in Ohio, Indiana and 
New York, he brought the mile record down 
to fifty-five and four-fifths seconds, and in 
August defeated Frank La Roche, driving a 
French Darracq, in two straight heats of a 
five-mile race, establishing a new world’s rec¬ 
ord of four minutes and fifty-five seconds for 
five miles. 

At this point in his career, Barney and old 
“ 999 ” p ar ted company. Alexander Winton, 
returning from Europe after an unsuccessful 
attempt to win international honors in the 
Gordon-Bennett trophy, persuaded Barney to 
sign a contract to drive the “Winton Bullet.” 
He went to Detroit, and driving the “Bullet” 
defeated Tom Cooper again, subsequently en¬ 
tering a free-for-all ten-mile contest in which 
he met with his first automobile racing acci¬ 
dent, blowing a tire on the seventh lap, crash¬ 
ing through a fence and killing a spectator. 
The driver, however, escaped with a few cuts 
and bruises, while the car was not seriously 
injured. 


27 


Introduction 


A Pacific coast trip followed, and after 
driving exhibitions at various western points, 
on November 22 he lowered the world’s one 
mile record to fifty-four and four-fifths sec¬ 
onds, driving the “Winton Bullet at Los An¬ 
geles. 

Next followed Oldfield's historic triumph 
on the sands of Daytona Beach, in Florida. 
He competed against William K. Vanderbilt, 
Foxhall Keene, Samuel B. Stevens, Henry L. 
Bowden, and other millionaire amateur sports¬ 
men who had spent a great deal of money for 
expensive foreign cars and some of whom 
drove with daring and ability. But Barney 
conquered them all, including even the “Fiat” 
and “Mercedes.” 

Incidentally, on the sand straightaway, the 
fastest track he had ever known, he established 
a new competitive one-mile straight-away mark 
of forty-three seconds. 

Laurel-crowned and world-famous, Barney 
returned to the dirt track in the spring of 
1904, and drove in exhibitions at New Or¬ 
leans, Philadelphia and other points. Going 
to Boston for the Memorial Day meet, the 

28 


Introduction 


“Winton Bullet” ended its career by catching 
fire and disappearing from mortal ken in a 
blaze of flame, like Elijah’s chariot. 

The ill-fated “Green Dragon” came next. 
Oldfield’s contract to drive this car, which had 
been an unsuccessful contender for the Gor- 
don-Bennett trophy, was made with M. P. 
Mooers, engineer of the Peerless Company. 
Oldfield drove it in only two meets. In the 
first he defeated Earl Kiser and Charles Grant 
driving “Wintons” at Detroit. In the sec¬ 
ond he pitted it against Alonzo Webb’s “Pope- 
Toledo” in a race on the World’s Fair track 
at St. Louis. Oldfield became blinded by 
dust and went through the fence. Two spec¬ 
tators were killed, several others injured, the 
“Green Dragon” completely demolished, and 
Oldfield himself was laid up in a hospital with 
broken ribs and a punctured lung. 

But after a month’s enforced idleness, Old¬ 
field was ready to challenge the world again 
with a new “Peerless Green Dragon.” After 
defeating Alexander Winton and Earl Kiser 
at Cleveland, he went to New York and scored 
his first big international victory, defeating 

29 


Introduction 


Thery and Bernin, French racing stars, and 
Sartori, the great Italian driver, in two straight 
ten-mile heats, and establishing a new ten- 
mile record of nine minutes and twelve sec¬ 
onds. 

Another western tour followed, and when 
Oldfield shipped the “Green Dragon*’ hack to 
Cleveland for a winter overhauling, he held 
all the world’s dirt track records. He had 
defeated all comers, and was the greatest 
speed king in the world. 

For three splendid years he continued his 
triumphant career, driving the “Green 
Dragon,” and never meeting defeat. His first 
defeat came in Chicago when Webb Jay, driv¬ 
ing old “Whistling Billy,” beat him under 
the wire in a ten-mile race won in the com¬ 
paratively slow time of nine minutes and 
forty-nine seconds. Later, in St. Paul, Old¬ 
field had the satisfaction of getting revenge 
on Webb, but was beaten by Earl Kiser with 
a “Winton Bullet” in a five-mile race. It was 
in this meet that Oldfield received two thou¬ 
sand dollars appearance money, the largest 
bonus ever given a driver up to that time. 

30 


Introduction 


The last serious accident Oldfield ever suf¬ 
fered came soon afterward on the Grosse Point 
track, Detroit, when another car crashed into 
the rear of the “Green Dragon.” It went 
though the fence, but Oldfield escaped with 
bruises and scalp wounds. Later, with his 
head swathed in bandages, in the same car 
which had been repaired and improved, he 
established a new world’s five-mile record at 
Cleveland, covering the distance in four min¬ 
utes and forty-five and three-fifths seconds. 

In 1905, Barney Oldfield, by this time a 
famous figure in the sporting world, became 
an actor, and supported Elsie Janis in “The 
Vanderbilt Cup,” a musical play produced at 
the Broadway Theater. He had the satisfac¬ 
tion of seeing his name shine in enormous 
electric lights on the “Great White Way.” 
The show was a great success and played to 
S. R. 0. for ten weeks. 

In the spring of 1906 he made a southern 
racing tour, and then, the San Francisco 
earthquake breaking into his racing plans, he 
went on the road with “The Vanderbilt Cup” 

for ten successful weeks. 

31 


Introduction 


The year of 1907 lie spent as an exhibition 
driver, and in 1908 decided to retire from the 
game. While attending the automobile show 
in New York, he sold his two cars, the ‘“Green 
Dragon" and the “Blue Streak, ’ and at¬ 
tempted to enter the automobile industry, but 
was unsuccessful. He couldn’t get hold of a 
business proposition that looked big enough. 

The lure of the track called him back the 
following year and he accepted a contract to 
drive a ninety-horsepower “Stearns,” owned 
by Harlan W. Whipple, president of the Amer¬ 
ican Automobile Association. He was de¬ 
feated by the Italian, Ralph de Palma, at the 
wheel of an “Allen-Kingston,” on the Read- 
ville track, Boston. Realizing that Whipple’s 
“Stearns” was not suitable for dirt track rac¬ 
ing, he had two special “Stearns” cars built, 
defeated De Palma in a race at St. Paul, and 
gave exhibitions in the west. On these cars he 
used “Firestone" tires for the first time. 

After trying a six-cylinder “National” in 
1909, he switched his allegiance to a foreign 
car, and bought the 120 horsepower “Benz” 

which was to prove the most consistent racing 

32 


Introduction 


car he ever owned. In the first race in which 
he drove it, he defeated De Palma and Len 
Zengle, and set a new world’s record for ten 
miles. By the time the 1910 season opened 
he had smashed practically all track records 
in the “Benz.” 

In the spring of 1910, on the Daytona-Or- 
mond Beach, driving a second “Benz,” the 
historic 200-horsepower “Blitzen Benz,” he 
astounded the world by establishing four new 
international straightaway records, in by far 
the lowest time ever made. His average 
speed for the flying kilometer test was 132.04 
miles per hour. The wonderful nature of 
this performance is more obvious in the light 
of the fact that up to that time Oldfield had 
never driven as much as 100 miles per hour. 
In practice driving later he traveled at the rate 
of 150 miles an hour. 

Driving this car he won races and broke 
records all over the country and reached the 
zenith of his brilliant career. At the Indian¬ 
apolis Speedway on May 30 he shattered the 
American records for a kilometer and a mile, 


33 


Introduction 

making these distances in 21.45 and 35.63 re¬ 
spectively. 

Then came the unfortunate Jack Johnson 
incident which temporarily cast a shadow over 
Oldfield’s fame. - The negro prize fighter, 
after knocking out Jim Jeffries, had imported 
a “Renault” roadster, and announced to the 
world that he was as great a driver as he was 
a prize fighter. Oldfield challenged Johnson 
and the negro accepted. The American Auto¬ 
mobile Association contest board informed 
Oldfield that he would be suspended if he 
competed in such an event. Barney ignored 
the warning, defeated Johnson at Sheepshead 
Bay, and was blacklisted. For more than a 
year he was an outlaw in the automobile rac¬ 
ing world. Tired of fighting the association, 
he finally sold the “Benz” and accepted a po¬ 
sition in the sales department of the Firestone 
Tire and Rubber Company, in which he had 
invested most of his racing profits. Oldfield 
sacrificed himself, in racing against Johnson, 
in order, as he believed, to uphold the suprem¬ 
acy of the white race in the sporting world. 

34 







Barney Oldfield in the Blitzen Benz with which he lowered so many world’s records 





















Introduction 


He felt that if he did not defeat Johnson, the 
negro would become too arrogant a factor in 
sporting circles. 

Oldfield's subsequent comeback in 1912, 
when he was finally reinstated by the Ameri¬ 
can Automobile Association, is one of the most 
splendid chapters in his history. 

Inside of a year he won back all his lost 
prestige and reached new heights of fame. 
His consistent and sensational driving, on 
tracks and in road races, made him the big 
factor in the 1914 season, and his services 
were in such demand that he was on the pay¬ 
roll of three companies, the Mercer, Stuz and 
Maxwell. Driving cars of these makes he was 
always great, though not always victor. 
Added to his splendid showings in the Van¬ 
derbilt Cup race, the Indianapolis speedway 
contests and other classic races, he scored the 
greatest victory of his sensational career in 
the fall of 1914 when he won the most tortu¬ 
ous road race in the annals of the world, the 
famous 696-mile Cactus Derby. For three 

days he set the pace and led the field from 

37 



Introduction 


Los Angeles to Phoenix, finally establishing 
his right to the title of “Master Driver of the 
World.” 

Two weeks later in the Corona road race he 
established a new world s non-stop record of 
301 miles, sharing honors with Eddie Pullen 
who carried off first money. 

When the 1917 racing season opened Bar¬ 
ney created a sensation by bringing from Cal¬ 
ifornia his “accident-proof’ car which was 
immediately dubbed the “Golden Submarine.” 
This car was touted as a possible three-miles- 
a-minute speedster. It was entirely enclosed, 
shaped between an egg and a submarine. 
The body was electrically welded aluminum, 
supported by rigid steel braces, and its chief 
distinction came through a claim that it could 
overturn without injury to driver. 

The “Golden Submarine” was built in Los 
Angeles by Harry Miller, a skilled engineer. 
Barney assisted in the designs and in the man¬ 
ufacture of the car. It is a high-speed four 
cylinder type engine, built entirely of alum¬ 
inum—in so far as possible. It cost Barney 
more than $15,000 and was one of the finest 

38 




Barney Oldfield’s ‘‘Golden Submarine in action 
















Introduction 


and most wonderful special racing jobs ever 
turned out in America. It was given its bap¬ 
tism in competition at Chicago over the Speed¬ 
way, but was so new and green it did not show 
as well as expected. It had early speed and 
gave promise of developing into all that had 
been claimed for it. 

At the start of the race over the Chicago 
Speedway Barney got away in third place. 
Ralph De Palma was in second and took the 
lead in the first lap. Barney was at his heels, 
hut in the third lap Oldfield rushed past De- 
Palma and took command. His golden car 
streamed along in front for several miles, 
making ten in 5 minutes, 43.5 seconds, an av¬ 
erage speed of 104 miles per hour. He suf¬ 
fered tire trouble and lost the lead, finally re¬ 
tiring from the race in the twenty-fourth lap 
through broken valve spring caps. Barney 
had his second car, a “DeLage,” in this race 
with Durant driving and took third money 
with it. 

In the race run at Cincinnati on Memorial 
Day Barney was unable to start the “Golden 

Submarine,” but drove his “DeLage.” After 

41 


Introduction 


being in front most of the time and fighting De 
Palma and Chevrolet for the lead mile after 
mile, he was forced to drop hack because of 
troubles. At the sixty-mile post Barney was 
in the lead, hut his car went back on him until 
it was a hopeless task. The "‘Golden Sub¬ 
marine” was started in other speedway events, 
hut never developed the speed it showed at 
Chicago. 

But on the mile dirt tracks Oldfield came 
into his own during the season. He was 
matched with Ralph De Palma for a series of 
races and started them with an easy victory 
at Milwaukee. De Palma turned the tables at 
Detroit, hut at Providence Oldfield came hack 
and heat the Italian in the hardest, fastest 
races ever run on that course. During the 
match races between De Palma and Oldfield 
many world’s records and track marks were 
broken by the two stars. Oldfield won four 
out of six of the match events, De Palma get¬ 
ting the verdicts at Detroit and Atlanta and 
Barney at Providence, Milwaukee, Indian¬ 
apolis and St. Louis. 

On August 9, two days before the match 

42 


Introduction 


with De Palma at St. Louis, Oldfield took the 
“"Golden Submarine’ out and, under a special 
sanction with electrical timing, broke all the 
world’s dirt track records from one to fifty 
miles. In the match with De Palma he broke 
the competition records also. The full list of 
records set by Oldfield at St. Louis follows: 


1 

mile . . . :45 

o 

i— i 

miles... 7:56.2 

2 

miles. . . 1:30.4 

15 

44 ...12:00.8 

3 

64 ... 2:17.6 

20 

44 ...15:52.2 

4 

44 ... 3:05.6 

25 

44 ...19:57.6 

5 

44 ... 3:53.6 

50 

44 ...40:47.6 


Following the series 

of victories over De 


Palma, Oldfield started at Uniontown in the 
fall races. He was leading the field by a big 
margin when he smashed his car and nar¬ 
rowly escaped death. In Atlanta Barney had 
a narrow escape from death when a wheel col¬ 
lapsed and his car skidded back and forth 
across the track, being finally brought to a 
standstill up against an inside fence. The in¬ 
field of the Atlanta track is a lake and had 
Oldfield not kept his car in control he would 
have been drowned by going through the in¬ 
side fence and into the water. He was driv- 

43 



Introduction 


ing the “Golden Submarine” and its door was 
jammed in hitting the fence so that it had to 
be pried open before he could get out. 

Barney was challenged by Louis Chevrolet 
for the dirt track title late in the fall and de¬ 
feated the Frenchman after several hard races 
at Birmingham, Chattanooga, New Orleans 
and Los Angeles. 

More recently Barney Oldfield has devoted 
more time to business than to racing or exhibi¬ 
tion driving. As a business man he is making 
a success just as he did in the world of speed. 
The small fortune he earned at the wheel is 
well invested. He owns stocks that have a 
value well into six figures, and has a cafe 
in Los Angeles, in partnership with Billy Kip¬ 
per, which is proving a good paying invest¬ 
ment. As an automobile expert he also writes 
frequently for newspapers and magazines. 

Barney Oldfield will go down in history not 
only as a daring and successful driver, but as 
one of the greatest race track generals who 
ever lived and a practical automobile expert 
who has few equals. 

Homer C. George. 

44 


BARNEY OLDFIELD’S BOOK FOR THE 

MOTORIST 





BARNEY OLDFIELDS BOOK 
FOR THE MOTORIST 

CHAPTER I 

BUYING THE NEW CAR 

Thousands have asked me to advise them 
what car they ought to buy. Of course I 
can’t do that, but I am going to give some 
general directions as to certain precautions 
that should be observed in buying a car, no 
matter what sort of service it is intended for. 

The first piece of advice I want to give my 
readers is to buy a car that is manufactured 
by a company that is perfectly solid finan¬ 
cially. This does not mean that the company 
must not be a new one, because lots of the 
newcomers in the field have perfectly sound 
financial backing. But unless the manufac¬ 
turer is of recognized permanence in the field, 
he ought to be looked up as to financial stand- 

47 


Barney Oldfield’s Booh for the Motorist 

ing before placing an order with him. The 
reason for this is that when a company goes 
out of the business of manufacturing, its cars 
become what are known as orphans and it is 
difficult and expensive to buy spares in case 
of accident. 

The question of price is one that settles 
itself. The prospect must simply make a list 
of the cars that are within the limit that he can 
spend and from these he must have his choice. 

After I had determined that the manufac¬ 
turer was going to stay in business to give me 
spares and factory service, I would look into 
the standing of the dealer. See whether he 
has the reputation of giving good service. 
You can find this out in a hurry by asking 
some other user in town as to what treatment 
he gets. If the dealer is unprogressive and 
has not the facilities for carrying out repairs 
promptly, you will hear of it from some of 
his patrons. 

Now in settling on which car to buy, there 
are certain obvious precautions to be attended 
to. If you have a large and enthusiastic fam¬ 
ily of children, you had better not invest in a 

48 



Chassis of a modern car showing major parts with which every owner should be familiar 




































Buying the New Car 


two-seater, sport model; that is if you value 
your life. On the other hand a crabbed old 
bachelor will have little use for a seven pas¬ 
senger touring car. Of course the normal 
man’s common sense will rule in this case and 
I just mention the matter in passing. 

The prospective purchaser ought, of course, 
to take into consideration the type of service 
he will probably demand of the car. If he 
lives in a hilly country, the car must have 
plenty of power, and the gear ratio suited to 
the country. Any car purchased ought to 
have good acceleration qualities, flexibility 
and a moderate turn of speed. For the or¬ 
dinary family car, which is to be used as a 
general vehicle for the household, care should 
be exercised to select a car that is sturdy and 
durable rather than one with one pronounced 
feature only. Remember that a car that is 
laid up half the time is only half a car, to say 
nothing of the expense for repairs. A flexible 
car is one that will throttle down to a low 
speed on high and at the same time he able 
to make fast time when called upon. If you 
put the high gear range at four to fifty or more 

51 


Barney Oldfield's Book for the Motorist 

miles an hour, you are naming a flexible car. 

The matter of accessibility of parts ought 
not to be neglected. Every part of the mech¬ 
anism that is going to need attention, cleaning, 
lubricating, etc., ought to be in such a position 
that it can be gotten at easily. Look and see 
whether the oil and grease cups are so placed 
that you can get at them without being a con¬ 
tortionist. See if you are going to be able 
to drain the differential housing and flush it 
out and refill it without wrecking yourself for 
a week. See if the adjustments to the brakes 
are easy to make. 

Next glance over the accessory equipment 
of the ’bus. Is the ignition system a good 
one? How about the carburetor? Is there 
a good air pump fitted? What about the fuel 
feed system? Make sure that the manufac¬ 
turer has not tried to skimp through by fitting 
cheap accessories. 

When it comes to the mechanical details, 
the average car buyer will find himself in 
some doubt perhaps. He ought to be sure 
that the various units in the assembly are big 
enough and strong enough to stand up to their 

52 



StARTER 

SWITCH 


PE DA 


CLUTCH 


YOKE 


GREASE 


CUP 


ACCELERATOR' 

-PEDAL 


"ACCELERATOR 

mm, pedal 
mm Root rest 

it t 


'SPEEDOMETER 
DRIVE SHAFT 


CARBURETOR 

DASH 

CONTROL 


SPARK LEVER 


THROTTLE LEVER 


HORN BUTTON 


CLUTCH PEDAL 

SERVICE 
PEDAL 


IGNITION 

AND 

LIGHTING 

SWITCH 


DASH 

LAMS 


CHARGING 

INDICATOR 


OIL 

PRESSURE 

GAUGE 


SPEEDOMETER 


GEAR 

LEVER 


HAND BRAKE 
LEVER 


Layout of instruments and driving mechanism in a typical fiont compartment. 
This will vary slightly in different cars but each manufacturer will have every 
item shown here arranged somewhat similarly for the driver. Study the layout 
in your instruction book 













Buying the New Car 

job. Gears, bearings, shafts, etc., must be 
full sized and able to stand the galf. Most 
of this will have to be judged by the reputa¬ 
tion of the maker. 

As a matter of fact the average buyer will 
be absolutely unable to pass on these points. 
The only safe way for him to do is to make 
extensive inquiries among owners of the car 
he is considering and find out whether they are 
satisfied. You can gamble on it, that if the 
car is undersized in some of its parts, owners 
will have plenty of complaints to make. If 
you find the car is sort of “delicate,” if it has 
to go to the shop frequently for overhaul or re¬ 
pairs, sheer off and try another make. 

Now for the man who is buying his first 
car, all this makes a pretty good sized prob¬ 
lem. He cannot pass on the various mechan¬ 
ical elements that go into the make up of the 
vehicle. He cannot determine from the dem¬ 
onstration of the car in the hands of the agent’s 
expert driver, how it is going to act when he 
takes the wheel himself. Take the flexibility 
test; it is the easiest kind of a thing for a foxy 
driver to fool the inexpert prospect and to 

55 


Barney Oldfield's Book for the Motorist 

give him a demonstration of speed three miles 
an hour on high, when in reality he has slipped 
the clutch on the novice. The man who knows 
nothing about automobiles ought to enlist the 
help of a trustworthy person who is an expert, 
paying him for his time if necessary and tak¬ 
ing him with him on driving demonstrations 
and for an examination of the car. It is bet¬ 
ter to pay a skilled mechanic $10 to assist in 
making a good selection than to buy in the 
dark and find you’ve been stung. 

When you stroll down the row to buy that 
new boat, just remember that it is more than 
a pleasure that you are investing in; it is part 
of your general efficiency. You ought to he 
just as careful about investing $1,000 in an 
automobile as in any other kind of a business 
investment and, believe me, it will pay you 
bigger dividends than almost any other kind 
of investment. 


56 


CARBURETOR ADJUSTMENT 



CLUTCH 

PEDAL 


: VENTILATING WINDSHIELD — 
LIGHT AND ICNITION SWITCH 
STEERING WHEEL — 

HORN PUSH BUTTON 


DASH LAMP WITH INSPECTION 
LAMP SOCKET 


BATTERY INDICATOR 


STEWART.WARNER 
SPEEDOMETER, 


CEAR SHIFT 
LEVER 


SPARK CONTROL LEVER 


THROTTLE 
LEVER 


SPEEDOMETER ADJUSTMENT 


OIL PRESSURE 
CAUGE 


SERVICE 

BRAKE 

PEDAL 


ACCELERATOR 

BUTTON 


STARTER 

BUTTON 


EMERGENCY BRAKE 
LEVER 


FOOT REST 


Another type of driving and control mechanisms 


























CHAPTER II 


STUDY YOUR INSTRUCTION BOOK 

Half the new cars sold annually in Amer¬ 
ica suffer a twenty-five per cent, loss of life 
during the first sixty days of their use. This 
statement seems astounding, but it is based on 
the experience and observations of manufac¬ 
turers and dealers the country over. There¬ 
fore my plea: 

Handle your new car with as much care 

AS YOU GIVE YOUR BABY. 

Seemingly few persons realize the impor¬ 
tance of careful driving, inspection and up¬ 
keep during the initial period of a car’s use. 
They seem to take it for granted that they 
may do anything with the new car that may 
be done with one used for months. They 
abuse it heedlessly through fast driving, hard 
pulling and neglect. The result is deteriora¬ 
tion. 


59 




Barney Oldfield's Book for the Motorist 

The first word of advice I wish to give to 
new-car owners—and this might be taken to 
heart by all other owners—is: Study the in¬ 
struction book which the manufacturer places 
in your car. 

Do not merely glance through this book or 
read it carelessly, but study it with a view to 
understanding it. Keep at this study until 
you have thoroughly absorbed the general ad¬ 
vice and suggestions, even if you fail to grasp 
the more technical information it contains. 
Every manufacturer gives hints as to the care 
of cars and the proper method of driving, 
which are worth while. 

I have known many owners who had a sur¬ 
face knowledge of cars—their care and driv¬ 
ing—who expressed the greatest surprise at 
the value of the suggestions in their instruc¬ 
tion book when they happened to read them at 
odd moments. In many instances these own¬ 
ers then began a systematic reading of the 
manufacturer’s booklet. I have never yet 
talked with one of these owners who did not 
give thanks to the company and who did not 
get many valuable pointers. And some were 

60 









CYLINDER HEAD 


CYLINDER BLOCK 


WATER OUTLET’ 

** -4 

EXHAUST 

MANIFOLD 



SPARK PLUG CABLE 

HIGH TENSION 
COIL 


FRONT 

SUPPORT 


INLET MANIFOLD j 


FAN BELT. 


CHAIN CASE COVER! 


RETOR 


FAN PULLEY. 


Front view of an engine showing various parts 
of the motor 




























Study Your Instruction Book 

men who had been driving for several years! 

Aside from die reading of die instruction 
book for general suggestions of a non-tech- 
nical nature, study the book to learn all you 
can possibly absorb as to the functions to be 
performed by the many parts of the car. 
Study to learn the relationship of all the 
various parts to one another. In other words, 
study to learn your car. 

Do not tear your car to pieces to learn some¬ 
thing of it; but trace out the various systems 
and the relations of each to the other. Do not 
attempt to pull apart the electrical system, but 
learn to trace the wires so that you have a fair 
knowledge of each. Gradually increase this 
knowledge. You will find a wiring diagram 
in your booklet and, if you will give it careful 
study, it will be found simple and your gain 
in knowledge will enable you to avoid trouble. 

When you have a bit of knowledge of your 
car and have drilled into your mind the points 
on driving suggested in your book, you may 
take your car on the road. Of course, if you 
have never driven a car, you will need instruc¬ 
tions. Your dealer will provide a teacher, 

63 


Barney Oldfield’s Book for the Motorist 

who will instruct you in the rudiments of driv¬ 
ing. Then handling a car is merely a matter 
of confidence and keeping cool and well-con¬ 
trolled. * Gradually you may apply the sug¬ 
gestions as to the finer points of driving as you 
gain in confidence and get used to handling 
your car. 

In the beginning, though, the greatest de¬ 
mand upon the driver is: 

Don’t speed. 

At all times the cost of speeding is as im¬ 
mutable as the law of death; but when a car is 
new the costs are trebled through the dangers 
of damaging bearings and other parts before 
they are thoroughly worked in and the motor 
given the polish and glaze essential to efficient 
use. As a matter of fact, no new car should 
be driven faster than twenty-five miles an hour 
for the first thousand miles. Meanwhile, it 
should be watched, inspected and cuddled like 
a baby. 

While breaking in your new car and get¬ 
ting it to work smoothly, be sure to see that 
it is always well-lubricated. A new car re¬ 
quires more oil than after it has been used a 

64 




Study Your Instruction Book 

thousand miles. The importance of this can¬ 
not be stressed too much. Not only does the 
motor require more oil, but the grease cups 
should be given more attention and every part 
given lubricants in abundance. 

The two points I mention here are merely 
the most pressing cardinal principles of car 
operation and are given in connection with 
the plea to study your instruction book pub¬ 
lished by the manufacturer of your car. If 
they seem to be repeated in later parts of this 
hook, it will be because they naturally fit into 
the matters under discussion. 


65 


CHAPTER III 


BREAKING IN THE NEW CAR 

I have had occasion to notice from time to 
time that when a man buys a new car he seems 
to think that, being fresh from the maker’s 
shop, it is so strong and supple that he can do 
anything with it, without damaging the vehicle 
in any way. Now there was never a bigger 
mistake on earth. The new car is more deli¬ 
cate by far than its brother that has been run 
for five or six thousand miles. 

The first few months of the car’s life in ac¬ 
tive service are the most vital of its whole ca¬ 
reer. It is undergoing what is known as “run¬ 
ning in.” The closely fitting parts are easing 
up just a bit and unless they are treated with 
consideration until this process has been ac¬ 
complished, irreparable damage may be done 
to the whole mechanism. 

Another mistake that most new owners make 

66 


Breaking in the New Car 

is to assume that the new automobile as it 
comes to them is absolutely ready for the road. 
This may be true, probably is, but there are 
exceptions enough to make it worth while to 
give the entire vehicle the “double-o,” before 
taking it out on the road. 

For instance, in a factory where several 
hundreds of cars are shipped each day, it is 
a very easy mistake for the man who is 
charged with attending to the lubrication to 
overlook one unit, thinking probably that he 
has already attended to it. The owner, all 
unsuspecting, jumps into the new ’bus for a 
ride and the first thing he knows the part which 
was not lubricated, gets hot. Many a first 
day’s ride in a new car has been spoiled by 
just such an oversight. The first thing I 
would recommend for the new owner is care¬ 
fully to go over the lubrication system and see 
that each unit has been provided for in this 
respect. Sometimes it will he found that the 
transmission and the rear axle housing have 
been filled with grease. I would remove that 
and substitute a gear oil. 

The next part of the equipment that I would 

67 


Barney Oldfield's Book for the Motorist 

inspect would be the battery. It is not impos¬ 
sible, in these days of long freight journeys, 
that a battery which leaves the factory in per¬ 
fectly good shape, may reach the car owner 
considerably weakened. Therefore take your 
hydrometer and test each cell in turn to see 
that it measures up to the required specific 
gravity. If the new owner doesn’t under¬ 
stand how to take hydrometer readings and 
hasn’t got a hydrometer anyway, he had bet¬ 
ter have the battery service station test the 
battery for him. At any rate, get it done. 
Also see that all the cells are up to the proper 
level with fluid; if any of them are below the 
mark, fill them up with distilled water. 

After these two matters have been attended 
to, the tires should have the benefit of a look¬ 
ing over. In his haste to get the car into your 
hands, so that you won’t be calling him up on 
the ’phone four times a day to ask when you 
are going to get it, the agent may have forgot¬ 
ten to put the proper pressure in the casings. 
Sometimes even the brand new valve may have 
a slow leak in it, so that while the tire started 
out fully pumped up, it will be away* below 

68 


Breaking in the New Car 

pressure by the time you get it. At any rate 
test every tire with a gauge and make sure 
you have proper pressures before you drive 
off in the new “boat.” A single afternoon’s 
running on a badly underinflated casing may 
be enough to ruin it for good and all. 

Now when it comes to driving the new car 
there are some things to keep in mind. The 
new driver should remember all the time that 
throughout the new mechanism under his con¬ 
trol intensive movement is going on in all the 
parts. At first the parts may fit so tight that 
lubrication is a little difficult at best. There¬ 
fore, don’t attempt high speed, until the vari¬ 
ous parts have had a chance to wear in. Do 
not race the engine, nor make it do an exces¬ 
sive amount of work. Give it a chance to cut 
its eye teeth before you abuse it. 

Don’t try to see how far you can throttle 
down on high gear. Don’t try to take all the 
hills you come to in high; drop down to a 
lower gear, until the mechanism is running 
easier. Don’t reduce the lubrication simply 
because the engine smokes a bit. When she 
is smoking you can be sure at least that the 

69 


Barney Oldfield's Book for the Motorist 

parts are getting plenty of oil. Don’t be sur¬ 
prised if the car uses a good deal more gaso¬ 
line than the agent promised you it would. 
This doesn't mean, necessarily, that the agent 
was telling whoppers. The stiff mechanism 
wastes power and uses extra gas to make up 
for this condition. After the car has loosened 
up, you may even find that you can readjust 
your carburetor, so as to burn much less gas. 

After the new car has been in service for 
five or six hundred miles, the condition of the 
starting and lighting system ought to be inves¬ 
tigated. The charging rate for which the de¬ 
vice has been set may not be suited to the par¬ 
ticular service you demand of the vehicle. If 
the owner does not understand how to check 
up this unit, he had better call upon the service 
station for help. 

When the car has been run for a week or 
so, it ought to be gone over for loose parts of 
various sorts. Nuts and bolts may have been 
shaken loose, the spring clips may have 
stretched a bit. At any rate go over the whole 
mechanism with the idea in mind of finding 

70 


Breaking in the New Car 

parts that have been loosened by the vibration. 

It will generally be found that the clutch 
ol the new car demands some favoring. The 
common practice of slipping the clutch ought 
not to be resorted to. Engagement and dis¬ 
engagement ought to be gradual and easy. 
This same advice applies to the gears. These 
will naturally be stiff and they must not be 
jammed into engagement with all the force of 
the driver’s arm. Favor them a little until 
they have had a chance to work in. 

Not only the mechanism of the new car but 
its body finish as well need care. The lus¬ 
trous enamel of the fine new body is beautiful 
to look upon, but it has not yet firmly “set." 
Mud spots allowed to dry on it at this stage 
will produce permanent blemishes. If spots 
get on the body, the polished surfaces should 
be carefully washed off with cold water, ap¬ 
plied in a gentle stream. After the car has 
been running for about a month, it is a good 
plan to apply one of the good body polishes 
that are on the market. 

In conclusion let me again caution the 

71 


Barney Oldfield’s Book for the Motorist 

owner of a new car not to abuse it in the early 
stages of its career, for if he does, he will have 
trouble for the rest of its life, which in itself 
will be largely reduced by early abuse. 


CHAPTER IV 


don’t speed; be sane 

I have been shaking dice with death on 
race tracks for seventeen years and don’t know 
what it is to he nervous on a course. But 
when it comes to touring I have been disagree¬ 
ably scared many times. And all because of 
the lack of sanity in so many drivers, and the 
failure of so many to use common sense. I’d 
rather take a chance with my life any day on 
a track, than to drive the roads of the country 
when tourists are joy-riding. 

On a track every precaution is thrown about 
me, yet it is hazardous enough, goodness 
knows! But when it comes to road driving, 
the hazards are innumerable at best. With 
drivers showing absolute disregard of others, 
these hazards become manyfold. I’ve had 
more harrowing experiences and narrow es¬ 
capes from accidents touring than I’ve had 

73 


Barney Oldfield's Book for the Motorist 

while racing. Every clay the list of fatalities 
due to carelessness and to recklessness is ap¬ 
palling. Laws of the state and laws of the 
road are constantly violated. 

I want to raise my voice in protest against 
any driving except that dictated by common 
sense. I want to plead with motorists to show 
consideration. I want to join with the law¬ 
makers in a cry against recklessness. I want 
to save lives, save cars, save roads, and gen¬ 
erally to help make touring a pleasure by 
pointing out to drivers a few of their faults— 
faults I have met with in my own experience. 

Every little while some law-maker goes on 
a rampage and tries to have a statute passed 
to make it harder for the motorist. Almost 
every day some association, some police mag¬ 
istrate, some superior justice or some leader 
of the country issues a scathing denunciation 
of the speedsters. Somehow it seems to do 
little good. But I am going to try my hand 
with a plea for bettering conditions. After 
all, it is up to us who own and who drive cars 
to do the right thing for our own protection, 
before others make it too disagreeable. 

74 



Don't Speed; Be Sane 

The rules of the road are simple. They 
protect the motorist and the public alike. If 
drivers will only be reasonable and will fol¬ 
low the rules, the decrease in accidents will he 
astonishing. I am going to summarize the 
important rules for driving in the hope of 
helping the situation. They are: 

Always turn to the right. The law not only 
requires this, but it goes further and demands 
that you use care in passing another car. 
Equally, it demands that the on-coming driver 
use similar care to avoid a collision. You 
must observe both rules—even if it requires 
you practically to stop. My way of driving 
is always to slow down to at least ten or fifteen 
miles an hour when meeting a car on the 
open highway and slower if the road is rough 
and narrow. 

Avoid heavier vehicles in so far as possible. 
Give them as much room as you can. On the 
other hand, they should pull as far to the right 
as conditions permit. It is easier for a heavy 
car to slide off the road than for your lighter 
car, but they must show consideration too. 

Motorists must be watchful of pedestrians. 

75 



Barney Oldfield’s Book for the Motorist 

Both have the right to use the road, but each 
must show consideration and care to avoid the 
other. When meeting pedestrians in touring, 
always go to the right as far as safety de¬ 
mands. 

Be particularly careful regarding horses or 
other animals. Let the driver of a horse ve¬ 
hicle have plenty of room in which to control 
his animal, if it should become fractious. 
Stop your car, if necessary, to avoid either a 
runaway or a wild plunge. 

Legal responsibility is always placed on 
the negligent. 

When some driver comes up behind and 
signals you, pull over to the right and let him 
pass. Don’t hog the road. It is always bet¬ 
ter to slow down at such times. 

Always slow down for bridges, curves, 
crossings and for sharp turns. Sound your 
horn in plenty of time to notify any one who 
may be just around the corner or the turn of 
the road. 

Don’t drive fast—much less speed—in 
crowded or congested districts. 

Don’t dash past stationary street cars. 

76 




Don't Speed; Be Sane 

Don t go wildly around corners or crowd 
too close to the curbings. 

Chief of all, follow the Golden Rule. 

Be sensible, be reasonable and be careful. 

You will find much more enjoyment in this 
kind of driving than in any other. Cut out 
your everlasting disregard for others and you 
will find the bread cast upon the waters return¬ 
ing in more consideration for you. 

Above all, be careful when driving at night. 
Learn always to switch to your dimmers when 
meeting another car or vehicle. I have had 
many narrow escapes from accidents because 
of the disregarding of this rule. It is aston¬ 
ishing the risks drivers run by leaving their 
headlights on full when approaching another 
car. Safety demands switching off at sharp 
turns as well. 

Don’t abuse the privileges a spotlight gives 
you. This light is wonderfully helpful, when 
properly used, but damnable, when misused. 
Its free use is sure to be legislated against 
severely unless drivers curb some present pro¬ 
pensities. Always carry the spotlight higher 
than the other lights. Never flash it on a ve- 

77 


Barney Oldfield’s Book for the Motorist 

hide which is approaching—it’s blinding. 
Use it to light up the road surface and to 
define ditches, but never on another car. 

And keep down your speed. In these days 
when most any car will do fifty to seventy 
miles an hour, the desire to "let her out” is 
sometimes hard to resist. But there’s no com¬ 
fort or real pleasure in speeding. It is diffi¬ 
cult driving—hard on the man and much 
harder on the car. You simply cannot avoid 
accidents if you become a confirmed speed¬ 
ster. You cannot keep your car out of the 
repair shop either. And you cannot get the 
natural joy out of driving which you should. 

I maintain that twenty to thirty-five miles 
an hour is fast enough at any time on the road. 
Try it and you’ll get real pleasure out of your 
motor. 


78 




CHAPTER V 


LEARN TO DRIVE EFFICIENTLY 

From fifteen to thirty per cent, of the life 
of an average automobile is cut off through 
poor, inefficient driving. 

I do not mean that absolute recklessness 
causes this loss, but the kind of driving many 
owners consider good. Of course, reckless 
driving has more to do with the shortening of 
the life of a car than any other one thing. 

But few of the average owners one meets 
around the country really know how to drive a 
car efficiently. In many instances they think 
they are fine drivers, but they know nothing of 
the real points of driving. They abuse their 
cars without knowing it. And then they won¬ 
der why their gasoline consumption is large, 
tire mileage small and the life of the car short. 

I know one bright young fellow who posi¬ 
tively believes he is an excellent driver with 

79 


Barney Oldfield's Book for the Motorist 

a fair knowledge of the finer points of motor¬ 
ing. Yet I saw him absolutely wreck a car in 
one hundred and fifty miles of driving—not 
one mile of which was faster than fifty miles 
an hour. What happened? 

This young fellow simply drove helter-skel¬ 
ter over good roads and bad. He had bet 
two hundred and fifty dollars he would make 
the run within a certain time which called for 
an average of thirty miles per hour. He 
jammed his brakes until he burned his linings 
and ruined a tire. He went into chuck holes 
like mad and he forced his engine whether the 
occasion demanded it or not. The result was 
that he ruined his engine, cracked his frame, 
shook his radiator apart and generally 
wrecked his car to such an extent that it cost 
seven hundred and fifty dollars to replace 
parts and repair the damage. 

I could have driven the same car, over the 
same roads, in the same time, without injuring 
it. Any other driver knowing how to handle a 
car could have done the same thing. My 
young friend simply did not know anything 
of the finer points of driving. He had nerve 

80 



CYLINDER BLOCK 


CZAR SHIFT LEVER 



SPARK 

distributor 


BRAKE PEDAL- 

INLET MANIFOLD' 
EXHAUST 
CARBURETOR 
CLUTCH PEDAL 


•SPARK PLUGS 


• SPARK PLUG CABLES 


HEAD 


EMERGENCY 
BRAKE LEVER 


EASE 

TUBE 

CLUTCH 

BEARING 


SELF 

STARTED 


CLUTCH 


WHEECj 


CLUTCH- 

HOUSING 


REAR 

MOTOR 

SUPPORT 


UNIVERSAL JOI 


EMERGENCY BRAKE 
LOCKING SECTOR 


TRANSMISSION 

CASE 


NT 


Front view of motor showing controls 







































Learn to Drive Efficiently 

enough to get the speed but lacked sufficient 
brains to preserve his car. His case is ex¬ 
ceptional, of course, but many drivers do 
worlds of damage without knowing how they 
do it. 

Here are a few of the things a driver must 
learn if he wishes to be efficient: 

Get the true idea of starting and stopping 
firmly in mind. 

Study your spark from experience in driv¬ 
ing and become efficient in using it to the best 
advantage. 

Don’t be afraid to change speeds. Don’t 
get the idea that your car is no good unless 
you can go anywhere in high. Speeds are 
there to protect the life of the car. Use them. 

Practice changing speeds. Get so that you 
can always make the change without a grind¬ 
ing noise. A good driver can switch speeds 
frequently so easily that his passengers will 
not know it. 

Use your brakes with care. Don’t jam 
them. Don’t use your emergency except in an 
emergency. Brake with your engine as 
much as possible. 


83 


Barney Oldfield's Book for the Motorist 

Don’t slip your clutch indiscriminately. 
It gains nothing which good driving would not 
gain and means wear and tear beyond calcu¬ 
lation. 

Always drive with your tires properly in¬ 
flated. It’s easy to test them with a pressure 
gauge and it means many dollars—not only 
in tires but in the life of the car. 

And don’t speed. Don't dash around cor¬ 
ners on two wheels. Be particularly careful 
in driving in traffic. 

In the last analysis, use common sense. It 
will mean long life for your car and cheap 
motoring, with added pleasure. 

Let's get down to the first thing every driver 
should know—proper starting. Use care in 
starting. Get your engine moving along 
nicely; go into first speed and slip in the 
clutch. Move along evenly for a short dis¬ 
tance and go into second. Don’t hurry, lurch 
and grind your speeds. Take your time and 
slip into high. Practice this until you be¬ 
come so proficient that you may start, go 
through all the gears and sail smoothly away 
without a single jerk or grind—until you are 

84 





Learn to Drive Efficiently 

able to do it without a passenger having 
knowledge of anything except a gradual in¬ 
crease in speed which is natural and easy. 

Rough starting may mean a broken rear 
axle, a loosening of a wheel, a shearing of a 
key or the breaking of a spring. The driver 
who follows proper starting will always be 
able to detect the loosening of a spring clip 
or wheel and be able to remedy it. 

The same thing holds when it comes to stop¬ 
ping. Don’t dash madly to any given point, 
slam on your brakes and stop with a jerk. 
Know when you are going to stop, lessen your 
speed gradually and, when the place is 
reached, ease up as an engineer stops a 
train. 

Study the fine points of your spark. Use 
your spark control freely. It’s there for that 
purpose and every kind of driving has a spark 
which gets best results. Nothing but experi¬ 
ence will teach this to you. But listen to your 
engine and learn to manipulate your spark so 
that the greatest efficiency is obtained without 
the motor laboring or knocking. In many 
cases you can control your speed by your 

85 


Barney Oldfield’s Book for the Motorist 

spark, especially when hill climbing with a 
well-opened throttle. 

Speeds are manufactured for use—not as 
ornaments. They cost a lot of money and 
weigh heavily. If they were not needed, the 
manufacturer would not put them in. So, 
when driving, don’t make your engine labor 
in order to have the satisfaction of staying in 
high. Switch to second, or even low, and 
save your motor. The driver who uses his 
speeds freely gets fifty per cent, more effi¬ 
ciency than the man who tries to do almost 
everything in high. 

Noise in changing gears is useless. One 
little point is, always to have your engine go¬ 
ing at the same speed your car is moving when 
changing. 

There is absolutely no use in continually 
jamming on your brakes. Your emergency 
brake is for use only when in a really tight 
place and to hold your car while it is standing. 
Most good drivers even turn their front wheels 
into curbs to ease up on the use of the brakes. 
However, be sure that your emergency is 
right, so that, if called upon, it will perform 

86 



Learn to Drive Efficiently 

its function positively. On long hills, cut out 
your ignition and brake with your motor, 
even if you have to go into first. 

This thing of continually slipping your 
clutch, even in traffic, is uncalled for. Yet 
the slipping of the clutch in hard going to ease 
off the strain is essential. Turning corners 
with the clutch out is also good driving. Use 
your gears instead of keeping in high and 
slipping your clutch every second or so. 

Incidentally, a good driver is always a man 
who is reasonable. He never hogs the road; 
he never cuts in sharply when passing another 
car; he never scares the life out of pedestrians 
by sudden, sharp blasts of his signal and he 
always keeps out of all kinds of trouble. 

Be this kind of a driver,. It will pay in 
many ways. 

“Keep both hands on the steering wheel and 
watch the road” should be the slogan of every 
motorist. I have recently received a particu¬ 
larly sad letter from the mother of a young¬ 
ster whose smartness in driving with one hand 
on the steering wheel cost him a terrific 
shake-up. This mother has asked me to warn 

87 


Barney Oldfield's Book for the Motorist 

drivers against the dangers which lie in this 
style of driving. 

Ordinarily one would think that every one 
would recognize the danger of careless driv¬ 
ing, but we frequently err in this respect. It 
seems to be the desire, of many youngsters 
especially, to “show off*' by reckless driving. 
One of the pet methods is careless steering. 
The danger is so manifest that it is hard to 
reconcile some of the performances one wit¬ 
nesses with the possession of sanity. Hun¬ 
dreds of accidents are due to negligence in 
steering and the most prominent fault is that 
of driving with one hand. 

It is always well to keep both hands on the 
steering wheel though the grip should be loose. 
In country driving one never can tell when a 
sudden drop into a hole, or a collision with a 
rock, will thrust the steering wild. If one 
happens to be going moderately fast at such a 
time and only has one hand loosely holding 
the steering wheel, he will be lucky to escape 
an accident. Many a car has been ditched 
in just this way. 

Don’t let your car suffer from this negli- 

88 


Learn to Drive Efficiently 

gence. Keep both hands on the steering 
wheel. Watch the road, and always keep 
complete control of your car. Thus you will 
avoid accidents and expensive repairs. 


t 


89 


CHAPTER VI 


PRACTISE ECONOMY IN DRIVING 

Practise economy and be sane about it. 
Don’t be a waster. Economy does not mean 
laying up your car or doing without a car. 
Use your car. Spend money on it. Help 
keep the motor industries busy by spending. 
But spend judiciously. Spending is not wast¬ 
ing if you use your car wisely. Using it un¬ 
wisely and with no regard for economy is 
wasteful. 

The practice of sane economy without yield¬ 
ing a single bit of business or pleasure is easy. 
It is not necessary to discharge your chauf¬ 
feur or helper. Use judgment and common 
sense and get full value for your money. 
Spend your dollars on your motor, but make 
them yield values. I am trying this and I 
will tell you how I am succeeding by sane 
methods. You can and should do as much. 

90 








Gasoline feed system of the car of to-day 





























Practise Economy in Driving 

Reduce gasoline consumption. 

Lubricate thoroughly. 

Secure efficient ignition. 

Keep the engine and all parts finely ad¬ 
justed. 

Watch your tires; protect them; make their 
lives long. 

Reducing gasoline consumption is not play, 
hut it is easy. You simply have to watch your 
motor like a hawk, check up your mileage 
frequently and keep all adjustments perfect. 
The biggest waste on your list will he from 
an idling motor. Keep your mind on this and 
do not allow your motor to run when you stop 
your car. And when you start it in the morn¬ 
ing, let it run slowly until heated. Do not 
speed it up in order to heat it quickly. Take 
four or five minutes, if necessary, and you will 
save gasoline as well as your engine. 

The next greatest waste of gasoline is due 
to leaking carburetors. This is absolutely 
due to negligence. Keep your carburetor 
clean and cut out leakage. Trouble in this 
respect is usually due to improper valve seat¬ 
ing. Dirt accumulates under the float valve. 

93 


Barney Oldfield's Book for the Motorist 

The flooding of this valve is easily stopped by 
depressing the float and twisting the needle 
valve around as the gas goes into the float 
chamber. If the flooding is due to imperfect 
seating of the float valve, it may be ground on 
its seat by using a little whiting or by holding 
the valve and seat in their true positions and 
rotating with a fair sort of pressure. 

When you have all leakage stopped, be sure 
to adjust your carburetor so that you will get 
the maximum explosion with the least possible 
gas. Experience alone will demonstrate the 
best adjustment. Start in with an extremely 
lean mixture and gradually change until you 
have secured what you consider a satisfactory 
adjustment. Keep careful track of your con¬ 
sumption and gradually make your mixture a 
bit more lean, if you can do so without suffer¬ 
ing from lack of power. Vary your mixture 
according to conditions. If the mixture is 
too rich, it will cause overheating. If too 
lean, a weak action follows but no overheat¬ 
ing. With a proper and good mixture you 
may advance or retard your spark without ill 
effects 


94 



Practise Economy in Driving 

You must have correct timing. The spark 
must be fired at exactly the proper time to get 
the fullest explosion; otherwise you will waste 
a quantity of gas. You must have your igni¬ 
tion so perfect that you will get the maximum 
efficiency. Pay strictest attention to your 
wiring, your battery, spark plugs and all other 
units of your ignition system. Have your 
plugs absolutely clean and all other parts of 
your system accurate and full of pep. Have 
your valves accurately seated and examine 
them frequently. A leaking valve causes loss 
of power, which brings an excessive use of gas, 
since a larger quantity is required to over¬ 
come this loss of power. 

By all means keep your car free from car¬ 
bon. The loss of power through carbon 
causes the excessive use of thousands of gal¬ 
lons of gas annually through requiring extra 
fuel. The interior of the engine must be per¬ 
fect to get the greatest results. Piston rings 
must be properly fitted so that they may per¬ 
form their proper functions and thereby pre¬ 
vent fuel being wasted by slipping past the 
rings into the reservoir. If your rings are 

95 


Barney Oldfield's Book for the Motorist 

not tight, try fitting leak-proof rings. But be 
sure to see that they are so fitted that no leak 
takes place. Leaky rings are an abomination 
which piles up the cost of motoring to an ex¬ 
tent few persons even faintly realize, for they 
not only call for more gas but oil as well. 

Kerosene is being used more than in the 
past. Some makers of kerosene carburetors 
or devices will sell them on trial. Where you 
can get a device which will permit the use of 
a mixed fuel of gas and kerosene, I would ad¬ 
vise a trial. In some instances three parts 
gas into one part kerosene have been used 
witli only carburetor adjustments, but I am 
not familiar with such practices. I use dis¬ 
tillate when in Southern California with good 
results, but I do not advise it elsewhere. 
There are a number of helpful articles on the 
market for decreasing gasoline consumption. 

When you have solved the gasoline adjust¬ 
ment problem and cleaned your engine thor¬ 
oughly, reduce all friction in your car to a 
minimum. This is accomplished by proper 
lubrication. With every car is a lubrication 
chart formulated by the manufacturer. 

96 


Practise Economy in Driving 

Study this and follow it as closely as possible. 
Friction means extra power, which means 
more fuel. Lubrication must be abundant, 
correct and complete to the final detail in 
order to save all possible power. Have your 
clutch properly adjusted and keep it in per¬ 
fect condition with proper lubricants. A 
slipping clutch means many dollars of gas 
expenditure. 

Be careful of your tires. Give them 
proper care and make them last as long as the 
tire manufacturer made them to live. 

The National Automobile Chamber of Com¬ 
merce has made these suggestions for economy 
in gasoline and I pass them on to you: 

Do not use gasoline for washing or clean¬ 
ing—use kerosene to cut the grease. 

Do not spill gasoline or let it drip when 
filling—it is dangerous and wasteful. 

Do not expose gasoline to air—it evaporates 
rapidly and is dangerous. 

Do not allow the engine to run when the car 
is standing. Cars are fitted with selfstarters 
and it is good for the battery to be used fre¬ 
quently. 


97 





Barney Oldfield's Book for the Motorist 



Have carburetors adjusted to the leanest 
mixture possible—a lean mixture avoids car¬ 
bon deposits. 

See that the piston rings fit tightly and that 
the cylinders hold compression well. Leak¬ 
age of compression causes loss. 

Stop all gasoline leakage. Form the habit 
of shutting off the gasoline at the tank or feed 
pipe. 

See that all bearings run freely and are 
well lubricated—friction consumes power and 
wastes gas. 

Protect the radiator in cold weather—a cold 
engine is hard to start and is short in power. 

Keep the tires fully inflated—soft tires con¬ 
sume power. 

Do not drive at excessive speed. Power 

consumption increases at a faster rate than 

_ « 

speed. Every car has a definite speed at 
which it operates with a maximum fuel 
economy. 

Change gears rather than climb hills with 
wide open throttle—it saves car and gas. 

Do not use cars needlessly or aimlessly. 
By the exercise of forethought a number of 

98 
















Practise Economy in Driving 

errands can be combined so that one trip to 
town or elsewhere will do as well as two. 

Reduce the amount of riding for mere 
pleasure by shortening such trips or cutting 
down their frequency. 


99 


) ) > 


CHAPTER VII 


HELPING TO KEEP YOUR CAR NEW 

During my many years of racing and tour¬ 
ing I have seen so many cars ruined long be¬ 
fore their time for usefulness should have 
passed that I want to offer a few suggestions 
to the new owner and the man who expects to 
get “full value” out of his purchase. For it 
is a fact that more cars are put in bad shape 
the first three months of work than are dam¬ 
aged by six months of use at any other stage 
of ownership. 

Don’t speed your new car under any cir¬ 
cumstances. 

Don’t be afraid to lift the hood and learn 
something of the motor mechanism. 

Don’t be careless regarding your oils and 
greases. 

Don’t hesitate to have your service expert 
re-adjust your carburetor every five hundred 

miles until you have gone two thousand. 

100 





FRONT MOTOR SUPPORT REAR MOTOR SUPPORT 





A typical crankshaft and bearings layout 























Helping to Keep Your Car New 

Don’t fail to watch for loosening bolts and 
nuts in all parts of the car. 

Don’t neglect to watch your tires and keep 
them at proper pressure. 

Don’t expect merely to pour in gas, oil and 
water; and yet retain a perfectly running 
automobile. Give a little care and study to 
it. 

Don’t let your car get dirty and stay so. 
Treat it as you do your person. 

Don’t allow dirt and greases to cake around 
your engine, starter, transmission or in your 
dust pan. 

Don't abuse your car by purposely climbing 
the highest hills and speeding over the rough¬ 
est roads. I know cars two and three years 
old which look new inside and out—and run 
perfectly—because the owners handled them 
with care and saneness. 

The new owner is prone to drive his car too 
fast. This is positively deadly if you want 
long life for your machine. Better keep 
around fifteen to twenty miles an hour the 
first five hundred miles and give your car a 
chance. This permits all the parts to get 

103 




Barney Oldfield's Book for the Motorist 

worked in smoothly and the engine to lose 
much of its stiffness. I 11 admit it is hard 
not to “just let her our a few times, but keep 
a cool head and go slow. After five hundred 
miles you may go as fast as thirty miles an 
hour, and then after 1000 miles push her up 
another five until you have been 1500 miles. 
Then she should be good for any speed you 
wish and she should not be easily damaged. 

Many owners are afraid to raise their hoods, 
saying that they know nothing of mechanism. 
Better learn something; or else you may have 
to do a lot of walking at the most inconvenient 
times. Study the instruction book which 
comes with all cars: it is plain. It is sim¬ 
ple. It is full of illustrations on every part 
of your car. Trace these out. Learn to 
know everything possible about your engine 
without tearing it down. Learn the whys and 
wherefores from this book. If necessary, 
have your service man go over the engine with 
you. All this for emergencies, if nothing else. 
You will quickly learn to appreciate your car 
all the more. 

In the matter of oils and greases, be sure 

104 





Helping to Keep Your Car New 

the car is thoroughly right before you drive 
away. Sometimes the best inspectors rush 
and allow defects to get by and fail in some 
point. Follow your instruction book. When 
you have gone five hundred miles drain off all 
oil and gas. Clean the receptacles and re-fill 
with fresh supplies. This is especially im¬ 
portant as regards oil. Keep all grease cups 
filled and well turned up. Look them over 
and turn them up every two days and, in cases 
of hard driving, every day. 

As your car settles to its work and gets 
running more and more smoothly have your 
service man change the adjustments on your 
carburetor to meet new conditions. It will 
save gas and increase power. Have him ex¬ 
amine the valves at the same time and see that 
their adjustment is perfect. An important 
matter is putting water in the battery at least 
every two weeks. Test the battery with a 
hydrometer every ten days. Use only filtered 
or pure rain water. 

While a car is new, the owner should go 
over it carefully every ten days or so to 
tighten up loose bolts, nuts or parts. This 

105 


Barney Oldfield's Book for the Motorist 

takes little time and may mean a tremendous 
saving. Body bolts and spring clips should 
especially be watched until the car has thor¬ 
oughly worked to its normal positions. Be 
careful in the use of your clutch. When you 
examine your car, look this over very particu¬ 
larly. New clutches are stiff and need to be 
handled gently. Handle your gears gently, 
until they work smoothly. Keep your brakes 
well-adjusted. 

Tires should be kept at a standard pressure 
of twenty pounds to the inch—that is eighty 
pounds for a tire 34x4, etc. Frequently a 
slow leak develops in valves and, before one 
knows it, a tire is ten to twenty pounds under 
pressure. Watch this closely and save big 
money. If you use cord tires the pressure 
should be fifteen pounds rather than twenty. 

Of course, you will want the outside of your 
car to look well. Take my advice and keep 
the inside clean, too. It’s just as important 
to have a clean engine, starter and general 
mechanical parts as it is to keep the body 
bright—more important to your pocketbook. 
With gas so scarce, use kerosene in cleaning 

106 



Helping to Keep Your Car New 

the engine and mechanism. Dirt plays havoc 
when allowed to collect in quantity. Even a 
little dust sometimes causes a lot of trouble 
by working into important parts. 

Be very careful in washing your car. When 
it is new, the lustrous enamel of the varnish 
needs strict attention. Use cold water from a 
gentle stream or poured on. Use a large 
sponge for mud spots and soak them off. 
Don't rub, or scratches will mar the whole 
finish. Use a good polish now and then, 
sticking to instructions which come with the 
preparation you buy. 

In winter protect your radiator with a cover 
and use an anti-freeze mixture in the water. 
Drain the radiator every thousand miles and 
thoroughly cleanse with clean water under 
strong pressure. 


107 


CHAPTER VIII 


HOW TO WASH YOUR CAR 

When a car comes in from a run, wash it, 
if possible, before the mud has a chance to 
dry and harden. If you cannot wash it then, 
it is better to rinse it off, and let it stand in 
that condition, than to allow the mud to bake 
on. A car is usually hot when it comes in, 
and the mud will dry up quickly and bake 
very hard, and, wherever the mud does bake 
on, it hurts the surface of the paint. 

Never dust off a finished surface dry. 
Don’t use a feather duster, or any kind of a 
duster, to remove dust from a car. Have it 
washed. 

In washing a highly finished painted sur¬ 
face, never rub the surface with a sponge, 
cloth or chamois, or anything else, until the 
mud and grit have been thoroughly rinsed off. 
The car should first be gone over with the 

108 



How to Wash Your Car 

open end of the hose, with the water running 
partially turned off. That is, use a big 
stream, but little pressure. Always begin at 
the top and work downward. By the time the 
entire car is gone over, unless it is an unusual 
case, the dirt should be loosened up sufficiently 
to rinse off by going over the car again. In 
case of very stubborn mud, take a soft sponge, 
and keep it thoroughly saturated and just 
touch the surface to be cleaned. Under no 
circumstances rub it. 

If, after getting all the dirt and grit off, 
you find greasy places on the panels, use an 
old chamois and Ivory soap, rinsing the 
chamois often. Never wipe the body panels 
with a chamois or sponge which has been used 
on the running gear, as it is almost certain to 
hold grease, which will spot the highly finished 
surface. After the grit and grease have been 
thoroughly removed, rinse the entire car thor¬ 
oughly to insure that every bit of soap is re¬ 
moved. After this, wet a good clean chamois 
and wring dry, and go carefully over all 
painted surfaces, wiping them dry. This will 
remove practically all the water, but the car 

109 


Barney Oldfield's Book for the Motorist 

should be kept in the shade until it is thor¬ 
oughly dried. 

If you will follow the foregoing rules, your 
car will look just about as well at the end of 
months of usage as when new. But, just as 
sure as you use harsh washing soaps or soft 
soap, and do not wash your car properly, it 
will be a matter of only a few weeks before the 
best finished car on earth will look old. 


110 


CHAPTER IX 


LUBRICATION MOST IMPORTANT 

Without any doubt whatever, the most im¬ 
portant thing incidental to the operation of a 
motor car is lubrication. By this I do not 
mean the engine alone, but all the parts of the 
car. Without good lubrication satisfactory 
driving is an impossibility. 

I have seen hundreds of motorists rolling 
along a highway with their cars groaning for 
oil. The owners paid, and paid big, for their 
neglect and probably blamed the manufac¬ 
turer for the car’s failure to live as long as 
they thought it should. 

To say nothing of the absolute misery of 
riding in a car which creaks and screeches, 
owners are simply throwing away thousands 
of dollars in neglecting the lubrication of 
their cars. If they are unaffected by noises, 
they should consider their pocketbooks. 

Ill 


SCREW DOWN SHACKLE BOLT GREASE CUPS EVERY DAY. 


WATER PUMP. SCREW 
DOWN TWICE WEEKLY- 


COMMUTATOR COVERS. 0 6 
WIPE OFF COMMUTATOR 


CLUTCH TKV 
SCREW DON 



KEEP HUBS FILLED WITH GREASE, 
USING FORCE GUN. 


EVERY THREE HUNDRED MILES REMOVE PLUG 
FROM FLY WHEEL THROUGH OBSERVATION 
HOLE. TURN FLYWHEEL OVER AND DRAIN 
CLUTCH. REFILL CLUTCH WITH A MIXTURE 
OF ONE-QUARTER PINT OF KEROSENE AND 
ONE-QUARTER PINT OF MOTOR LUBRICANT. 


Lubrication chart of typical six-cylinder chassis. It illustrates the rri 
























































































REAR WHEEL BEARING. LUBRICATE EVERY WEEK. 



,hich need attention on all cars. The instructions are complete 


SCREW DOWN SHACKLE BOLT GREASE CUP8 EVERY DAY, 































































Barney Oldfield’s Book for the Motorist 

Most often it is the man who cannot afford the 
loss of money who neglects his car, too. 

In the first place, every manufacturer places 
in every car made a book of instructions re¬ 
garding the operation, care, upkeep and lubri¬ 
cation of that particular car. No owner 
should operate his machine without giving 
careful study to this book. He ought to give 
more than careful study to that part dealing 
with lubrication. He should practically 
memorize it and he should read it again every 
now and then to re-charge his interest in the 
subject. 

Having learned what the manufacturer has 
to say about lubrication he should study the 
reports of experts employed by oil companies 
and apply what their experiments show to be 
valuable to him. After this an owner should 
make up his mind to buy the best of lubricants 
—always. 

Manufacturers make a world of experi¬ 
ments with various lubricants in their test 
work and cross-country driving. Each recom¬ 
mends what is best for his particular car and 
the owner should follow this recommendation. 

114 


i 







F-Oil Motor Daily Keep oil level between 
crank case pet cocks 

G-Crease Every 5000 Miles 




Lubrication chart of a Ford 


. 


<< cqqq ca << 

I i lii . i" 7 s * 



















































































Lubrication Most Important 

The service man of the manufacturing com¬ 
pany usually goes the full length in his recom¬ 
mendations and suggests what is best for each 
particular part of the car. He has spent a 
world ol money in making these experiments 
and the owner who does not benefit therefrom 
is taking uncalled for chances. I can only 
add this suggestion: 

Buy your oils in small quantities in original 
packages. 

Manufacturers sell oils in casks and dealers 
distribute them in any quantity from one pint 
up. But manufacturers also put up their 
products in gallon and half gallon,—even in 
quart, cans—with their own seals. This is 
always preferable. You take no chances 
when you buy products in this way, whereas 
you do take chances when you buy from a 
dealer by driving up with this request: 

“Give me a quart or a half gallon of oil.” 

Possibly you may say medium, or heavy, or 
light, as the case may be; but you should know 
just exactly what grade of oil you want and 
you should buy that and no other. I have 
seen many owners ask for a special grade 

117 




Barney Oldfield's Book for the Motorist 

which the dealer did not have and yet accept 
whatever he did have because of pressing need 
or carelessness. There should never be an 
occasion for “pressing need,” if the owner 
gives proper care to his car; hence, he should 
always be in position to buy that product 
which experience proves best needed by his 
car. 

1 have a young friend who bought fifty gal¬ 
lons of oil shortly after the purchase of his 
first car. He bought a cheap oil because the 
salesman showed him how much money he 
would save. That young fellow learned his 
lesson. This cheap oil was not only what he 
should not have used, but it proved the most 
costly oil he ever had because of its ineffi¬ 
ciency. It also caused wearing of his car, 
which likewise added to the burden of opera¬ 
tion. 

I honestly do not believe that one owner 
out of a hundred gives proper attention to 
lubrication. All admit its importance, but 
neglect it in an alarming manner. 

There is one thing I want to say and that is: 

118 



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Four-cyclinder engine lubrication system 


















Lubrication Most Important 

Drain your crankcase regularly every 
500 to 1000 MILES. 

It is generally conceded that fair results 
are to be had from draining the crankcase, 
washing it out and re-filling every 1000 to 
1500 miles; but to get the maximum of good 
service it is far better to spend an extra dollar 
or so for oil and clean out the motor thor¬ 
oughly every six hundred miles. I have 
known many owners who failed to drain their 
crankcases and fill with fresh oil even after 
2000 to 3000 miles. That is criminal. Not 
only drain out the oil but pour kerosene into 
the crankcase, run the motor about a minute 
and clean out the system thoroughly. This 
will get maximum service from the motor. 

Remember also that a different grade of oil 
should be used in winter from that used in 
summer. Usually a thin oil is required for 
winter because of the tendency to congeal at 
low temperatures. In summer a thin oil is 
not effective because the heat takes the life 
out of it by thinning it out past the point of 
usefulness. 


121 



Barney Old field's Book for the Motorist 

I am not going to attempt to give owners 
full instructions as to oiling the various parts 
of their cars. Every service station has lubri¬ 
cation charts for their particular cars, while 
every instruction book features lubrication, 
too. I can only say that the motorist who 
neglects to study and follow the directions is 
piling up trouble for himself. I do want to 
make a few suggestions for comfort in motor¬ 
ing: 

Keep your grease cups full of grease and 
turn them up daily. Get at all cups, even 
those not in plain sight. 

Keep your springs in condition with oil and 
an occasional prying apart and filling with 
graphite mixed with oil. 

Keep your steering wheel and connections 
well-oiled to insure easy driving and quick 
response. A drop of oil daily in the steering 
wheel oil hole will help. Pack the gear case 
every three hundred miles. 

Your electrical system should be kept thor¬ 
oughly lubricated, and this includes the 
starter. It is just as important to oil as to 
keep clean. 


122 




Action of oil in a pump and splash system. This shows the crankshaft 

and bearings 














Lubrication Most Important 

In general, though, follow your instructions 
on lubrication. It takes a little time almost 
every day; but it re-pays in comfort, in long 
life for the car and in pride of operation and 
ownership. 

LUBRICATION TABLE 

The following table may be accepted as gen¬ 
erally accurate in its recommendations for 
lubrication attentions to the various parts of 
the mechanism, though there will be variation 
in regard to certain cars and models. 

Daily Lubrication 

Clutch collar and thrust bearing: Grease 
or graphite. 

Spring bolts: Grease or graphite. 

Drag-link joints or steering gear: Grease 
or graphite. 

Tie rod and king bolts: Cylinder oil. 

Lubrication Every 300 Miles 

Steering gear case: Grease or graphite. 

Brake levers and clevises: Cylinder oil. 

Commutator: Cylinder oil (few drops). 

Steering post: Cylinder oil. 

125 


Barney Oldfield's Book for the Motorist 

Brake shafts and pedal bearings: Cylin- 
der oil. 

Lubrication Every 500 Miles 

Spring leaves: Graphite or heavy oil. 

Crankcase: Cylinder oil, drain, flush out 
and re-fill. 

Magneto-distributor: Drop of cylinder oil 
in holes. 

Gear case: Oil, light in winter and heavier 
in summer. 

Lubrication Every 1000 Miles 

W heel bearings: Grease or graphite after 
thorough cleaning. 

Universals: Grease or graphite. 

Torsion tube, radius rods and similar parts: 
Grease or graphite. 

Gear case: Drain, flush with kerosene and 
re-fill with oil, light for winter, heavier for 
summer. 


126 







CHAPTER X 


NOISES AND HOW TO CURE THEM 

Of course every car owner likes to drive a 
quiet machine. He cannot hope to have an 
absolutely silent vehicle, but by taking due 
care, in due course he can produce a condition 
of relative quiet, which will be gratifying. 

The engine is the place where noises are 
most frequently found and the commonest of 
engine noises are those made by the valves, 
clicks and slaps. These valve noises may be 
easily located from the fact that they occur 
with the utmost regularity. If there is too 
great a distance between the valve stem and the 
tappet, a click will result. Also, an excessive 
clearance between the lifter and the push rod 
may cause a very unpleasant noise. 

In this case, it is easy to cure the noise by 
reducing the clearance between the offending 
parts. In making adjustments to the valve 

127 


Barney Oldfield's Book for the Motorist 

system, do the work while the parts are still 
hot after the run. You see the valve system 
ordinarily runs hot and so adjustments, made 
when the metal is cold, may not be correct 
after it gets hot and expands. 

Sometimes slaps result from the lifter being 
loose on the guide and, in this case, the part 
must be replaced. Also, too much clearance 
may develop between the cam and its fol¬ 
lower. By putting in new followers, this 
trouble can be remedied. Worn valve stems 
or guides will produce a clicking. By taking 
out the valve springs it is easy to locate trouble 
here. If there is play of the stem in the guide, 
it will he necessary to fit a bushing or else put 
in valves with oversize stems. 

The valve system that is located overhead, 
as a genera] rule, is noisier than the ordinary 
type. For this type of system attention must 
be paid to lubrication. Even so side-play oc¬ 
casionally develops in the rocker arm and the 
result is a click. If the bearing of the arm 
is worn, it will be heard from, and the only 
cure is to put an oversize bushing on the rocker 





Section of a four-cylinder engine 


















Noises and How to Cure Them 


Another source of troublesome noise is the 
engine hearings. These are made of soft 
metal and, if the lubrication fails for a mo¬ 
ment, these parts will be burned more or less 
and, if they are not destroyed, they will he 
flattened somewhat and a decided knock will 
result. This means a job of taking up the 
hearings, which is done by removing a shim 
from between the two halves of the bearings, 
or else by trimming off some of the metal. 
In taking up bearings, the utmost care must 
be used to see that the hearing touches the shaft 
all around without binding it anywhere. 
When bearings are being fitted, one of the 
chief difficulties is to get the shaft correctly 
aligned. If the shaft is out of line, the gears 
in the transmission are certain to bind and 
growling will start in this part. 

Sometimes the flanges of the crankshaft 
bearings develop noise, through being flat¬ 
tened by the thrust of the shaft. The only 
thing to do in this case is to fit new bearings. 
So, too, play may develop in the upper rod 
bearing. Sometimes the owner thinks that the 

seat of this latter trouble is the lower rod of 

131 


Barney Oldfield's Book for the Motorist 

crankshaft bearing. Some cars do not have 
the bushing at the top of the rod, but most 
modern cars have a bronze bushing to take up 
wear. In cases where there is no bushing, it 
is necessary to fit a new piston pin. 

When a piston or cylinder becomes worn, a 
noise will develop which sounds like the knock 
that is caused by pre-ignition. In some mild 
cases, it is possible to cure this trouble by 
fitting new piston rings. If the trouble is 
severe, it may be necessary to fit a new set of 
pistons. In cases where the cylinder has 
been worn out of round, diis part will have 
to be re-bored and a set of oversize pistons 
must be fitted. 

Noises in the timing gears and timing chains 
are a tough proposition to handle. Many 
silent chains have an adjustment feature which 
enables the car owner to take up slack, but 
others have not and in this instance it becomes 
necessary to replace worn links with new links 
to get rid of the slack. 

One of the most frequent noises is that 
which comes from pre-ignition. A number of 

things may cause this knock; among them the 

132 






Clutch and transmission 
























Noises and How to Cure Them 

simple practice of driving with the spark too 
far advanced. Carbon in the cylinders will 
cause pre-ignition, so will bad timing, over¬ 
heating, overloading of the engine and a 
poorly proportioned fuel mixture. The 
meaning of pre-ignition is simply that the 
charge of fuel is exploded before the piston 
has reached top center. Thus the piston re¬ 
ceives a thrust which drives it against the 
cylinder wall and the result is a loud metal¬ 
lic knock. 

When a knock of this kind develops in the 
engine, the best way to tackle it is to start at 
the beginning and by a process of elimination 
find out what cause is behind it. First, de¬ 
termine whether the cylinders contain undue 
deposits of carbon. This is the most com¬ 
mon cause. Next, try the spark control and 
see whether you have been using it too far 
advanced. Next, experiment with the fuel 
mixture and so on. 

Noises in the transmission are encountered 
frequently and are most annoying. This con- • 
dition may mean that the shafts, or one of 
them, are out of alignment, through wear in a 

135 



Barney Oldfield s Book for the Motorist 

bearing or binding in a gear. Sometimes the 
entire transmission case will get sprung out 
of true, so that both shafts are out of correct 
alignment. Habitual trouble in the transmis¬ 
sion may be taken as a sign that the whole unit 
is out of alignment and the car owner had 
better call upon the service station. 

The rear axle often develops noises in 
operation. This may mean that the driving 
pinion and differential master gear are out of 
alignment, which produces a furious humming 
sound. In most cases it is possible to adjust 
out-of-alignment in the rear axle by shifting 
the whole differential unit, hut this is not a 
job that the ordinary amateur can tackle. 

In addition to the mechanical noises that I 
have enumerated, there are numerous annoy¬ 
ing scpieaks that develop from time to time. 
The springs and their shackles must be kept 
properly lubricated or they will squeak. The 
body is subject to shrill noises and the only 
remedy is to keep all holts and nuts drawn 
up tight. Door rattles may he stopped by 
little wedges of rubber, and felt can he used 
to keep the fenders noiseless. 

136 




ADJUSTING YOKE 





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m < > 


0 ) 

X 

V-. 

rt 

v 

i— 
































Noises and How to Cure Them 

It may be accepted that noises about the 
automobile are not a sign of health, so that it 
is not only a matter of convenience, but an 
actual necessity, to keep hunting them down 
and remedying them, if the car is to be kept 
in the best possible order. 

SUMMARY OF ENGINE TROUBLES AND THEIR 

CAUSES 

Engine Fails to Start 

1. Gas mixture too lean. 

2. Water in gasoline. 

3. Vibrators adjusted too close. 

4. Water or congealed oil in commutator. 

5. Magneto contact point (in trans. cover) 

obstructed with foreign matter. 

6. Gasoline supply shut off. 

7. Carburetor frozen (in zero weather). 

8. Water frozen in gasoline tank sediment 

bulb. 

9. Coil switch off. 

Engine Lacks Power—Runs Irregularly 
At Low Speeds 

1. Poor compression—account leaky valves. 

139 




Barney Oldfield’s Book for the Motorist 

2. Gas mixture too rich or too lean. 

3. Spark plugs dirty. 

4. Coil vibrator improperly adjusted. 

5. Air leak in intake manifold. 

6. Weak exhaust valve spring. 

7. Too great clearance between valve stem 

and push rod. 

8. Too close gap between spark plug points. 

At High Speeds 

1. Commutator contact imperfect. 

2. Weak valve spring. 

3. Too much gap in spark plug. 

4. Imperfect gas mixture. 

5. Vibrator points dirty or burned. 

Engine Stops Suddenly 

1. Gasoline tank empty. 

2. Water in gasoline. 

3. Flooded carburetor. 

4. Dirt in carburetor or feed pipe. 

5. Magneto wire loose at either terminal. 

6. Magneto contact point obstructed. 

7. Overheated—account lack of oil or water. 

8. Gas mixture too lean. 

140 





DRIVEN DISCS _ w a y,,a IffiLdThm i_-THRUST BEARING 



OO 


1 


Clutch of the dry-plate disc type showing adjustment nut with ball thrust bearings 















Noises and How to Cure Them 


Engine Overheats 

1. Lack of water. 

2. Lack of oil. 

3. Fan belt torn, loose or slipping. 

4. Carbon deposit in combustion chamber. 

5. Spark retarded too far. 

6. Gas mixture too rich. 

7. Water circulation retarded by sediment in 

radiator. 

8. Dirty spark plugs. 

Engine Knocks 

1. Carbon deposit on piston heads. 

2. Loose connecting rod bearing. 

3. Loose crank shaft bearing. 

4. Spark advanced too far. 

5. Engine overheated. 


143 


CHAPTER XI 


CARING FOR YOUR STORAGE BATTERY 

Study your storage battery—not just super¬ 
ficially, but seriously—and save many dollars. 

Lack of knowledge of batteries costs hun¬ 
dreds of thousands of dollars each year. This 
is money absolutely thrown away. 

Let’s get busy, all of us motorists. Let’s 
learn something about our batteries, their 
construction and care. Let’s save a lot of 
money which we are now wasting. I’ll do my 
share by a discussion of the make-up and care 
of this important part of the car. You lend 
your aid by taking advantage of any good 
hint my experience may make it possible for 
me to suggest. 

It has been freely stated by the closest 
observers that the average life of a battery is 
only fifteen months. This is far too short. 

It should be from a third to two-thirds more. 

144 





























































Caring for Your Storage Battery 

In many instances batteries have lived as long 
as the best of cars. They had care of the kind 
which would prove intensely valuable if fol¬ 
lowed by all motorists. There really should 
he little limit to the length of service given by 
a good battery properly looked after. 

Giving the battery proper treatment does 
not require technical knowledge or skill. It 
1 almost take care of itself. But there are 
few absolute duties owners must perform. 
They are simple—so easy, in fact, that this 
becomes the very reason for such waste and 
neglect. There are but two vitally important 
services required by the battery. They are: 
Feed the battery plenty of distilled water. 
Keep the terminals clean and bright— 
grease them occasionally. 

Of secondary importance is a careful watch 
for short circuits. A battery can be almost 
ruined and mighty quickly by a tiny short cir¬ 
cuit. So look over your wiring every now 
and then for this trouble. At the first sign 
remedy the wiring, quick! 

Manufacturers of batteries are doing a 
mighty work in educating owners as to batiery 

147 




Barney Oldfield’s Book for the Motorist 

performances and care. Service stations are 
maintained the country over. Here distilled 
water is provided free and in most instances 
a regular inspection is made, also without 
charge. Any owner of a battery may receive 
a free inspection card at these stations. It 
would seem that this educational work would 
kill repair business. But far from it—service 
station employees are kept on the jump. 

Every car owner should have a hydrometer 
—an instrument for testing his battery. He 
should make tests at least once every week or, 
at the most, every ten days. The hydrometer 
tests the specific gravity of the battery fluid, 
which should always stand as close to 1.30 F. 
as possible. If the reading is 1.15, or less, 
the battery is discharged. At 1.27 to 1.30 it 
has a full charge. 

Why all this talk of distilled water? the 
new motorist or the uninitiated may ask. 
This is best answered by an explanation of the 
storage battery. There are several types of 
the latter but that most widely used to-day, 
the type in the very great majority of modern 

cars, is of the lead plate with liquid solution. 

148 






Hydrometer syringe 
























0 










» 









V 





















Caring for Your Storage Battery 

The battery is really not a storehouse for 
electricity but a unit wherein certain chemical 
actions take place, producing a current of elec¬ 
tricity for such use as the motorist may care 
to make of it. The battery is made up of pos¬ 
itive and negative plates of a lead composi¬ 
tion submerged in a solution of sulphuric acid. 
The latter is commonly called electrolyte and 
at 70° F. has a specific gravity of 1.30. 

In action, the current leaves the battery 
through the positive plate and returns through 
the negative. These plates look like grid¬ 
irons, the spaces being filled with a lead com¬ 
position. In the negative plates this is a 
spongy matter but in the positive it is a perox¬ 
ide or reddish-brown color. Strips of wood 
or other materials separate the plates which 
are imbedded and enclosed in jars of hard rub¬ 
ber containing a solution of sulphuric acid. 
The jars are commonly designated as cells 
and a battery has any number of them, accord¬ 
ing to the power requirements. 

It is the chemical action between the 
specially composed material in the plates and 
the acid solution that generates the electrical 

151 



Barney Oldfield's Book for the Motorist 

current. The action is all the time going on 
even when the current is not being used. But, 
while it is being used, the action is many times 
increased in volume and violence. Not only 
is current being created by this chemical ac¬ 
tion but a lead sulphate is produced and de¬ 
posited on the plates. This substance is white 
in color and its presence weakens the action 
of the battery through withdrawing acid from 
the electrolyte. Thus the continual pouring 
out of generated current would, in its final 
stages, cover the plates with a thickness of sul¬ 
phate deposits and leave no electrolyte—only 
plain water. 

But when electrical current is sent into the 
battery from an outside source a reaction takes 
place and the sulphate deposits are driven 
from the plates back into the liquid in the 
form of acid. It is the continuous driving 
back and forth of these deposits which makes 
possible the continued chemical action produc¬ 
ing electrical current. Hence the necessity of 
the generator. Also, the necessity for added 
water is shown in the fact that the liquid in 
the cells suffers evaporation, which is hastened 

152 





UNSCREW 
THIS CAP 


FILL UP TO 
THIS POINT 


DONT FILL, 
ABOVE 

THIS POINT? 


Cross-section view of a storage battery, indicating 
level at which solution should be kept 































Caring for Your Storage Battery 

by the heat created through the chemical ac¬ 
tion. 

Just as water is required at frequent inter¬ 
vals, so it is also essential that a watch be kept 
on the possible leakage from the jars of the 
acid liquid. In case of leakage it is neces¬ 
sary to add sufficient acid to maintain a spe¬ 
cific gravity of 1.30. If the battery becomes 
abnormally low through lack of water or leak¬ 
age and shows lower than 1.15, it should 
be re-charged. Proper care saves these re¬ 
charge bills, however, and proper care con¬ 
sists mainly in keeping water in the battery 
and cleaning the terminals with an eye on the 
wires to prevent short circuiting. 1 he gene¬ 
rator should be adjusted to meet the conditions 
of service so as neither to overcharge nor 
undercharge it. 

The importance of distilled water cannot be 
too strongly urged. Rain water or water from 
melted ice may be used, but not just ordinary 
drinking or bathing water. 

See that the clamps are securely screwed 
down and that the mounting is always perfect; 
otherwise, you may have a lot o( broken cells 

155 


Barney Oldfield's Book for the Motorist 

which will cost money. Don’t worry about 
the solution freezing providing the battery is 
always charged. When fully charged this 
electrolyte will not freeze until lower than 35° 
below zero is reached. 

One of the frequent ills of a battery is 
caused by the formation of corrosion around 
the terminal wires. These should be kept 
clean and highly polished. If an acid sub¬ 
stance begins to form, clean it off and grease 
the terminals well. I have seen batteries giv¬ 
ing only half service because of this single 
neglect. Don’t let yours lie down on you be¬ 
cause of failure in this respect. 

Help your battery by a little attention and 
it will show its appreciation by added pep and 
power in its current. 


156 



























CHAPTER XII 


STARTING AND LIGHTING TROUBLES 

Sooner or later most owners have trouble 
with the starting and lighting system and, 
when difficulty does come, look out. If the 
car owner of average intelligence will only 
study the system that gives him electric lights 
and cranks his motor, he will be able to keep 
it in good order and, when trouble does hap¬ 
pen to develop, he will be able to find it and 
fix it. 

The starting and lighting system is made 
up of two principal units—the generator and 
the starting motor. Sometimes these two are 
included in a single installation and again they 
are separate. In addition, there is the storage 
battery, charged by the generator. From the 
battery the current passes into the lights and 
to the starting motor to give it power to turn 
the engine. Among the minor parts of 

159 


over 



Barney Oldfield's Book for the Motorist 

the system will be found a cut-out, a device 
that is used to connect and disconnect the gen¬ 
erator from the battery. There is also a de¬ 
vice to regulate the flow of current from the 
generator to the battery, so that the latter shall 
not he overcharged. With the wires, switches 
and lamps, these make up the entire system. 

In practically all cars built to-day it is the 
custom to place on the dash a little meter 
which tells the rate at which the storage bat¬ 
tery is being charged or discharged. By 
means of this device the driver of the car can 
tell just how his starting and lighting system 
is functioning. Just as soon as the starter is 
thrown into action, the dash meter begins to 
register current flow, as the juice is being used 
to turn over the engine. The driver should 
keep an eye on this meter at frequent intervals 
and any sign of failure to register should be 
investigated. Any time that the lights are not 
being burned and the starter is not being used, 
the hand of the meter should register zero. 
Failure to register in this way may mean that 
the hand is bent, the magnets may be weak or 
the return spring in the meter is failing to 

160 











Starting and Lighting Troubles 

function properly. Vibration and excessive 
voltage in the electric system often cause 
trouble in the meter. Unless the car owner 
is pretty well up in meter mechanics, he had 
better take the instrument to the service sta¬ 
tion and have the repairs done there. 

Taking it all in all the starting and lighting 
system, as far as its mechanical make-up goes, 
is a pretty sturdy job. Mechanical troubles 
are seldom encountered. The bearings of the 
generator frequently wear and cause trouble 
until they are replaced. The linkage, if there 
is one, occasionally develops a balky fit. 
There is no reason why the car owner who is 
a reasonably good mechanic for the rest of 
the vehicle can’t manage to make ordinary re¬ 
pairs in the starting and lighting system. The 
commonest troubles encountered in the start¬ 
ing and lighting system are short circuits or 
open circuits. When an open circuit occurs, 
there is no flow of current in the system at all. 
When the trouble is a short, the current flow 
is in the wrong direction, so that the function 
of the system is deranged. 

Every car owner ought to make it a practice 

163 


Barney Oldfield's Book for the Motorist 

to inspect carefully the whole wiring layout of 
his system at frequent intervals. You see if 
the insulation material ol one of the wires hap¬ 
pens to chafe through, the current will not 
reach the lamps or whatever other part it is 
intended to serve. Trouble of this kind can 
be caught in time, if the wiring is examined 
and frayed places are taped before the wire 
comes through. 

There are two separate methods of handling 
the wiring problem in the starting and lighting 
system. In one, two wires are used to carry 
the current out to the place where it is needed 
and bring it back to the battery again. This 
is called the double wire system. The other 
system uses but one wire, the metal frame of 
the car being utilized to bring the current back 
to the source after it has served its purpose. 
In the single wire system, if one of the wires 
is stripped of its insulating material and 
touches metal, a short circuit is at once estab¬ 
lished. In the double wire system, two of the 
wires must be stripped of insulation to cause 
the short circuit. 

In the double wire system the terminals are 

164 













































Starting and Lighting Troubles 


to be watched in case of trouble. If one of 
the wires is poorly connected at the terminal, 
the whole system may be thrown out of work¬ 
ing order. The terminals should always be 
kept clean and the wires tightly connected. 

Of course the battery is a frequent source of 
trouble - |i the starting and lighting system. If 
In gels in such shape that it is difficult 
to turiMhe engine over and the lights burn 
wbh ffi|ered brilliancy, go for the battery. 

lights burn all right but the starting 
obviously there is some trouble in the 
le system controlling the starter. So, 
lights are dim, but the starter goes to 
d shape, the trouble lies in the light- 
iof the system. Whenever trouble de¬ 
velops Ji the starting and lighting system, the 
e to go after it is to slart at one end 
fk right along to the other. 

' jood many cases, where the lights seem 
|gone bad, the seat of trouble will be 
light in the bulbs. The filaments may 
navt, jirned out or been broken, but, of 
course, two bulbs are not likely to suffer in 
this way at the same time. However, look at 

167 


part ui 
when t 
it in 2 



Barney Oldfield's Book for the Motorist 

i 

the bulbs first and then try the connectors that 
lead to the lamps; these may be loose or the 
contact points may be corroded. The next 
thing to examine is the wiring back to the 
switch. Look carefully at the insulation of 
all tl le wires. In the system using only one 
wire, make sure that it is firmly fastened to 
the metal that carries it. Some systems use 
a junction box and there may be a short in this 
or the connections may have rattled loose or 
become so dirty they don’t function. In case 
fuses are used, one of these may have blown 
out. If, after you have put in a new fuse, 
trouble still persists, you can bank on its being 
in the system. 

The various switches that are used in the 
starting and lighting system are also a source 
of trouble. They may have accumulated dirt, 
they may be loose or simply out of adjust¬ 
ment. At any rate look them over. In case 
a cut-out is used to regulate the current flow 
at low speeds, give this the once over. The 
magnetic points may be dirty and the ter¬ 
minals may be loose. 

I should advise every car owner to keep 

168 


a 



Diagram of a modern electric system. Study that of your car, so that you may trace each wire 















































































































































Starting and Lighting Troubles 


copy of the wiring diagram of his car always 
on board. With the help of this he can locate 
pretty nearly any trouble that may occur. 


171 


CHAPTER XIII 


CONSIDER YOUR SPARK PLUG 

Spark plugs seem unimportant to the unin¬ 
itiated. Most any sort will do, is the idea of 
the average owner—at least the “first-year” 
owner. The same man thinks he is saving 
when he buys “seconds” and “inspection- 
barred” tires. He takes a chance with his 
life by using tires not up to the standard. 
You take a chance with your motor in poor 
plugs. In the cases of both the tires and 
plugs, the first cost saving is lost by short life 
of the product. 

With every motorist “the best is just good 
enough”—or it should be so in the matter of 
plugs and tires. The best plugs are not al¬ 
ways sure these days, but the saving in buying 
the best is sufficiently large to justify my ad¬ 
vice to get the true and tried plugs—always. 

There are many plugs on the market and the 

172 









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Coil-box and wiring on a Ford 

















































Consider Your Spark Plug 

owner should see that his car is equipped with 
a set of the best. By “best” I do not mean 
any particular plug; but I mean any plug 
which has been proven in the caldron of ex¬ 
perience—a plug about which owners say lit¬ 
tle but words of praise—a plug which has 
shown its worth so strongly that manufactur¬ 
ers using the best equip their cars with it. 

Spark plug troubles are most deceiving. 
Many owners have worried for weeks over 
poor ignition—poor engine performances— 
then to find after a long investigation that a 
poor plug was causing the disturbance. Plugs 
are so deceptive that good mechanics some¬ 
times tear down engines and ignition systems 
searching for troubles which really lie in the 
spark-producer. 

In racing hundreds of dollars have been 
lost because of spark plugs going bad. And 
this, after racing drivers had experimented 
with all kinds of plugs and had probably 
paid fancy prices for those very ones which 
lost the race. It used to be an old story with 
drivers to say that they lost such and such a 
number of minutes changing plugs. Even the 

175 






Barney Oldfield’s Book for the Motorist 

star drivers had their troubles. They have 
them yet, too. 

Enough spark plugs are built every year to 
ecpiip many times over the cars of the entire 
world. Yet some people imagine a plug will 
last a lifetime. 

All this leads me to repeat: Buy the best 
plug you can learn about. If you have had 
no experience, ask your owner friends who 
are careful in keeping track of such things. 
Ask many. Then form your conclusions. 
And, when you have secured the best, give 
them attention. Look them over every few 
days. May be they will be all right. Don't 
take chances, though. 

Don't wait until your engine begins to per¬ 
form poorly. Keep an eye on the plugs right 
along. Not only examine them with the eye, 
but now and then test them for the effective¬ 
ness of the spark. This may be done by dis¬ 
connecting the ignition wires of all but the 
ones being tested. If the explosion is not 
good, make a close inspection of the plug. 

See that your plugs are always clean. 

This is vitally important, especially when 

176 





DISTRIBUTOR 
























Consider Your Spark Plug 

your engine is running slowly and when you 
want a quick pick-up—a performance with 
pep. 

Be sure your plugs do not leak the 

ELECTRICITY. 

Here is one of the mysterious troubles with 
which plugs are afflicted. Frequently plugs 
look perfectly good, yet they are so saturated 
with carbon that the insulator changes form 
and electric leakage is so great the spark will 
not ignite the gas. This condition is difficult 
to determine, yet by testing each plug suffi¬ 
ciently it may be located. The only remedy 
is a new plug. 

Many owners write me of their troubles and 
they blame the carburetors, valves, carbon 
and all kinds of things for bad performances. 
Frequently they try all the remedies for such 
troubles, only to have the poor performance of 
the car continue. And all the while spark 
plug inefficiency is the fault. The plug has 
simply ceased to perform its function, namely, 
to deliver a good hot spark sufficient to ignite 
the gas. This condition is due to porous in¬ 
sulation. 


179 


Barney Oldfield’s Book for the Motorist 

Of course, no plug will work well when 
dirty and heavily coated with oil and carhon. 
The latter is really more dangerous than many 
believe possible inasmuch as the porousness 
of the material in plugs permits the carhon to 
be absorbed until the plug is so saturated as to 
cause the big leakage referred to. 

Plugs should be cleaned by washing in gas¬ 
oline and carefully scraping off all bits of 
carhon deposits with a knife. They should 
he thoroughly swabbed out with cotton or 
cloth and dried before being replaced. No 
soot deposit of any kind should be permitted. 
When a plug goes bad and fails to deliver suf¬ 
ficient spark for a “full of pep" explosion, it 
is no good and will soon cost more than a 
new one in requiring more gas and generally 
causing other troubles which multiply from 
any given fault which is not repaired. 

If your engine starts poorly; if it lacks 
power and “pick-up,” examine your plugs 
thoroughly before looking elsewhere for the 
cause. It may be carhon making the trouble 
or many other faults, but it is just as likely 
plugs. This is especially true if your engine 

180 


Testing Spark Ping 

ro detect and correct trouble with faulty ignition, first locate the cylinder or cylin¬ 
ders at fault. This may most easily be done by short-circuiting the spark plug 
or bddging from the motor head casting to the spark plug wire terminal with 
a screw^driver, as here shown. By testing the various plugs it will be' foun d that 
one of them can be short circuited without affecting the operation of the motor. 
This will indi“te the cylinder at fault. The trouble may be either the ignition 

unit or the spark plug 


















Consider Your Spark Plug 

is given to leaking oil around the cylinders or 
if you have recently had the carbon removed. 

With your battery always properly charged, 
your wires properly connected, and the 
switches working correctly, poor ignition can 
he traced to plugs in ninety-nine cases out of 
a hundred. And in looking at your plugs 
don’t be fooled by appearances, if your 
trouble is persistent. Test them thoroughly. 
Don’t wait until things get bad to look over 
your plugs. At the first sign of loss of power 
—especially when using a lean mixture, driv¬ 
ing slowly or trying for a quick pick-up—get 
busy with the plug examination. 

The spark plug has only one thing to do— 
deliver a strong spark. But it must be petted, 
if you want it to do that all the time. And 
some owners go thousands of miles without 
giving much attention to their plugs! The 
one duty assigned the plug is as important as 
the feeding of gas for the proper performance 
of the motor. 

Just one other tip, always have one or two 
extra plugs in your car no matter whether it is 
new or old. You can never tell when a plug 

183 




Barney Oldfield's Book for the Motorist 

will go bad and nothing is more aggravating 
than limping along with one cylinder not being 
fired at all. It is wasteful, and calculated to 
drive an owner to distraction. 

Consider your spark plug, Mr. Motorist! 


184 


CHAPTER XIV 


THE CARE OF TIRES 

Watch your tires, particularly during the 
winter months. Winter driving is hard on the 
pneumatics—so much more so than summer 
work that the difference in wear is decidedly 
marked. 

The danger of winter driving is consider¬ 
ably greater—that is danger which might be 
attributed to tires—than in any other season 
of the year. 

To avoid the danger due to weather condi¬ 
tions and to obtain the mileage which is due, 
owners must give careful attention to their 
tires. Every man doing winter driving should 
have chains. Anti-skid finishes are helpful, . 
but they do not answer all requirements by 
any means. I would not drive without the 
antis, but I keep my chains ready and never 
hesitate to use them. 


185 





Barney Oldfield's Book for the Motorist 

I watch my tires like a hawk during the win¬ 
ter. I am careful in my driving also—more 
so than at any other season. From my experi¬ 
ence I have evolved a few rules I always fol¬ 
low. I hand them to you for consideration. 

Use non-skid tires. 

Use chains when roads are slippery, or in 
snow. 

Keep your tires always properly inflated. 

Use extra precaution in driving; never 
speed. 

Keep your brakes in perfect adjustment at 
all times. 

See that your wheels are always perfectly 
aligned. 

Wipe your tires dry and free them of mud 
whenever you enter your garage. 

Use your clutch with care—never throw it 
violently. 

Prevent skidding in so far as possible. 

Keep your garage floor clean and dry: 
with the garage temperature around forty to 
fifty-five degrees. 

The average motorist is not an expert, by 
any means, in the purchase of tires, to say 

186 





eep the tires prop 






































The Care of Tires 

nothing of their use. Therefore, I do not 
think it amiss to suggest that non-skids be used 
on all four wheels during the winter. No 
matter what your experience may have been 
or what tires you use ordinarily, when winter 
time comes get good gripping suction cas¬ 
ings. They will live longer and protect you 
better. 

When it comes to inflation, always remem¬ 
ber that there is no tonic for tires equal to air. 
It protects them and protects the motorist as 
well. Never drive without your tires being 
properly inflated. Get yourself a reliable 
pressure gauge and use it often. Don’t be sat¬ 
isfied to kick your tires occasionally to esti¬ 
mate the pressure. You may be taking 
chances with your life when taking chances 
on your pressure. So be sure. Many acci¬ 
dents are due to deflated tires and fully sev¬ 
enty-five per cent, of repairs come from the 
same cause. 

When a tire is not sufficiently inflated, the 
thin walls of the casing bend and knead. 
This is particularly true when ruts or obstruc¬ 
tions are hit. The well-inflated tire bounds 

189 


Barney Old field's Book for the Motorist 


off obstructions without this bending and 


twisting of the walls. The fabric lasts much 
longer. The ordinary pressure should he 
around 20 pounds to the inch of tire. A 3- 
inch tire would take 60 pounds; 3j/ 2 , 70; 4, 
80 and so on up to 6 inches when 120 pounds 
would he correct. Cord tires are not quite so 
dangerous or susceptible to injury when not 
fully inflated, hut they should not he neglected 
because of this. Cord tire pressure should 
he fifteen pounds to the inch. 

Be mighty careful in driving. Do not go 
around corners fast. Do not start or stop 
quickly—be gentle and take your time and 
more especially so if the streets happen to he 
wet and slippery. Remember your life is in 
your hands—to say nothing of other lives— 




when the streets will not stand sudden stops, 
hut shoot you one way or another. 

Skidding is the bane of the winter motorist. 
It plays havoc with your nerves and sometimes 
kills the other fellow. A few ways of curb¬ 
ing, if not preventing, skidding are: 

Don't apply your brakes suddenly on a 
slippery road. 






190 












The Care of Tires 


Don’t use your brakes in making a sharp 
turn—slow down. 

Don’t follow another car too closely—al¬ 
ways he sure of plenty of space in which to 
stop, if anything happens to the man in front. 

Don't fail to turn your front wheels in the 
same direction the rears are skidding. Go 
with the skid and not fight against it. 

Keep your brakes in perfect adjustment. 
Don't slam them on suddenly hut slow down 
and gradually apply the brakes. Throw your 
clutch out slowly, for, if you throw it vio¬ 
lently, it has the effect of a heavy sledgeham¬ 
mer blow on your tires, putting on an extraor¬ 
dinary strain. Be sure your wheels are in 
proper alignment, for there is nothing which 
will grind up your casings like wheels out ol 
alignment. There is no excuse for the condi¬ 
tion either. Use a cord and test out your 
alignment every now and then; don t wait until 
the tires begin to show the wear this fault 
causes. 

Biding car tracks is the most common fault 
of drivers, and it is costly. Bails wear down 
the siding of tires, chew off the rubber and 

191 




Barney Oldfields Book for the Motorist 

grind in dirt and water. Water plays havoc 
with tires when the rubber is rubbed off and 
it gets to the fabric. Oil, dirt and small 
stones are ground into the fabric by car rails. 
All make for less life of the casings. 

After a drive on wet roads, in snow or mud, 
rub your tires off when you come in. Get 
them dry and free from water, oil, dirt or 
other substance. Doing this is removing the 
enemies which eat up tires and cost you 
money. It takes little time and saves much. 
Keep the temperature of your garage about 
40 to 55 degrees—too much heat is as dan¬ 
gerous as too much cold. The chemical ac¬ 
tion resulting from either condition causes de¬ 
terioration of the rubber in tires. 

Another important consideration in the life 
of tires is the quick repair of punctures. Al¬ 
ways stop immediately when you get a punc¬ 
ture. It will cost five to ten dollars every 
block you drive, if you persist in continuing 
after a puncture. You not only chew up your 
tube but injure your casing materially. If 
you cannot change tires or repair your tube 
on the spot, it is far better to remove the tire 

192 




The Care of Tires 

and continue on the rim than on the deflated 
casing. 

Always keep a close lookout for breaks, cuts 
and bruises on the surface of your casings. 
When you sight them, repair them at once, 
even if you have to go to a shop to have it 
done. Sand and moisture are kept out in 
this way and in winter it is more important to 
keep out these harmful ingredients than in 
summer. They are bad enough at any time. 

If possible, carry your spare tires in a cas¬ 
ing, as light and weather injure rubber ma¬ 
terially. Keep your garage floor free from 
oil, water and other substances. Change your 
wheels around now and then. When your 
rears begin to wear, switch to the front, if all 
are of the same size, or switch from right to 
left. 

Tire care means dollars. So give careful 
attention to your casings and tubes. 

All of these rules for the care of tires in 
winter apply in summer except those relating 
to temperature. 


CHAPTER XV 


AVOID OVERHEATING THE POWER PLANT 

i 

Next to improper or careless lubrication, 
the most common trouble of motorists is over¬ 
heating of the power plant. Many inexperi¬ 
enced drivers are especially careless about 
their cooling systems. 

Adequate cooling is just as essential as lub¬ 
rication. Water must be fed the motor just 
as oil and gas are fed. Carelessness in this 
respect imposes a heavy penalty. I have seen 
many cracked cylinders due to this neglect, 
to say nothing of valve trouble, cracked spark 
plugs and impaired engine power. 

Motorists must be watchful of the cooling 
systems. Plenty of water must be in radiators 
at all times. Care should be taken in keep¬ 
ing all parts of the system in proper shape in 
order that they may successfully perform their 
functions. 


194 







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How a motor is cooled by the thermo-syphon system. Water follows the arrows 






































Avoid Overheating the Power Plant 


Few motorists realize the extreme heat 
which comes about through the explosions of 
the gasoline mixture. At one stage of the 
power stroke the heat in the cylinders of an 
engine passes 2000 degrees. This heat is al¬ 
most beyond the imagination of the ordinary 
motorist who has given no study to the actions 
of his engine. 

With such extremes of temperature the 
necessity for adequate cooling becomes mani¬ 
fest even to the tyro. This cooling is ob¬ 
tained through the combustion chamber and 
cylinder being surrounded by a jacket in 
which cooling water circulates. If this water 
is not kept at a temperature so that its func¬ 
tions may be performed, damage is done 
quickly. 

Though the temperature inside the combus¬ 
tion reaches more than 2000 degrees, it de¬ 
creases as the piston advances and the gases 
expand. Near the end of the piston stioke 
the exhaust valve opens and both the pies- 
sure and temperature drop considerably. 
However half of the total heat must be car¬ 
ried off by the water system. The heat of a 

197 


Barney Oldfield's Book for the Motorist 

gas engine is four times that of a steam motor. 

Ordinarily, overheating is caused from one 
of the following conditions: Carbonized cyl¬ 
inders; hard driving for a length of time on 
low speed; late ignition due to a retarded 
spark; defective ignition system or connec¬ 
tions; insufficient oil or a bad grade of oil; 
improper carburetor adjustment; slipping or 
non-working fan; improper circulation of 
water due to clogged radiator tubes; racing 
the engine; clogged muffler or leaky rubber 
connections. 

The first maxim for every motorist should 
he: 

Fill your radiator daily with clean 

WATER. 

It is a good thing to get one’s self in the 
habit of filling the radiator daily. Don’t wait 
until signs of overheating are manifest. Fill 
the radiator before leaving the garage every 
time you go for a drive. Once you get the 
habit, it is no trouble. 

Greatest efficiency in cooling systems is 
reached when the water is near the boiling 

o 

point. As a consequence, drivers should not 

198 




Avoid Overheating the Power Plant 

become unduly alarmed if the water boils a 
little after a hard pull up a hill or through 
sand. But il this boiling persists under or¬ 
dinary working conditions, it is a warning 
that something is wrong. Investigate and re¬ 
pair at once. Bad driving—that is without 
consideration of conditions under which the 
spark is being operated—causes more over¬ 
heating than anything except carbon. 

If a driver discovers his engine overheat¬ 
ing, he should first allow it to cool off and 
then fill the radiator with cold water. He 
should then study his spark conditions and 
test the cooling system by various changes of 
the spark. If that does not stop his trouble, 
he should open the pet cock at the bottom of 
the radiator and thoroughly flush out the en¬ 
tire system under fair pressure. After this 
the rubber hose should be removed and 
cleaned. Then re-connect, tighten the hose to 
the utmost, re-fill the radiator and test again. 

In case further overheating is manifest, then 
you may be sure that it is due to lack of lu¬ 
brication, carbon, bad ignition or similar 
trouble. The best thing to do in such a case 

199 




Barney Oldfield’s Book for the Motorist 

is to check over the ignition system and see 
that a proper adjustment of the carburetor ex¬ 
ists. If the cylinders are full of carbon, 
that must be cleaned before the cooling system 
will work properly, no matter if all the ether 
faults are remedied. 

The two systems of cooling an engine in 
general operation are the thermo-syphon or 
natural system and the pump system. Of 171 
cars recently examined 117 have pump sys¬ 
tems and 54 the thermo-syphon. The air¬ 
cooled car is another matter and is not referred 
to in this discussion. The pump systems 
allow of lighter weight because less water is 
needed in the radiator, while the water pipes 
and cylinder jackets may be smaller. The 
pump is driven mechanically through a con¬ 
nection with the crankshaft and water circu¬ 
lates more freely as greater speed is shown. 

Whether one is having trouble with over¬ 
heating or not, one should clean out the radia¬ 
tor and entire circulating system every two or 
three thousand miles of driving. Make this 
cleansing thorough so that any sediment may 
be washed away and the clogging of tubes pre- 

200 




Avoid Overheating the Power Plant 

vented. To flush out the water jackets, close 
the radiator pet cock and open that of the 
side inlet, allowing the water to flow through 
under ordinary pressure. 

One of the most interesting facts in connec¬ 
tion with the study of gasoline engine princi¬ 
ples conies from figuring the distribution of 
heat generated. In a work by Thurston on 
“Heat as a Form of Energy” it is figured that 
only seventeen per cent, of the generated heat 
in a gas engine does useful work; fifty-two 
per cent, is transferred to the cooling system, 
with sixteen per cent, lost in the exhaust gases 
and fifteen per cent, lost by conduction and 
radiation. As a result of this, it is shown 
that the cooling systems must take care of 
sixty-seven per cent, of the heat expelled from 
the engine at high temperature. 

It is a fact that sixteen per cent, of the heat 
goes to the exhaust which makes for the use 
of a muffler cut-out in speed work. In or¬ 
dinary driving this use oi a muffler does not 
cut much figure. But when it comes to a lace, 
where maximum speed is called for, the muf¬ 
fler is opened wide to facilitate the escape of 

201 


Barney Oldfield s Book for the Motorist 

this percentage of heat. With the muffler in 
operation there is some resistance to the es¬ 
cape of gas. I do not advise the use of a 
muffler cut-out for touring, because of the 
noise made and the fact that the resistance 
is so small as to cut little figure. 

One of the most useful devices ever made 
for the driver is a motometer which is placed 
on the radiator cap and which tells at a glance 
the condition of the cooling system, or rather 
its workings. These motometers have ther¬ 
mometers which give the temperature of the 
water with warnings thereon as to the system. 
An owner may glance at this instrument and 
tell the exact condition of the water in his 
system. 


202 


CHAPTER XVI 


PREPARATION, THE BIG ITEM 

I have been constantly asked how I win 
races. So many motorists have shown a curi¬ 
osity regarding the work of a driver that I am 
going to make a “confession” and “expose'"’ 
the whole racing business. 

There are but two items to be catalogued in 
telling how to win: preparation and skill. Of 
the two the most important is preparation. 
Lack of infinite pains in this respect has lost 
more races than all the daring and skill of 
the world combined. So if there is one word 
which I would drive home in the minds of all 
drivers it is preparation. 

The same holds true in the matter of tour¬ 
ing and of ordinary city driving. If every 
owner or chauffeur gave one one-hundredth 
as much attention to preparation as a driver 
before a race, few trips would be spoiled by 

203 


Barney Oldfield's Book for the Motorist 

breakdowns and repair bills would cease to be 
a bugaboo for tbe average owner. In fact, 
the majority of repair shops would go out of 
business. 

I now contend and have always contended 
that three-quarters of the money spent on re¬ 
pairs is wasted through neglect in prepara¬ 
tion for driving. Most of the joy of motoring 
is taken from it through this lack of fore¬ 
thought. I frequently make long trips— 
sometimes across the continent—and have lit¬ 
tle if any trouble. Why? I prepare. You 
should do the same. Even if you only use 
your car around town, keep it in a state of 
preparedness. 

Every racing driver must he a good me¬ 
chanic to he successful. He must know the 
“feel*' of his car at all stages. He must know 
how to make it ready for a contest. He must 
have infinite patience. He must be a worker. 
He must leave absolutely nothing to chance. 
He must use his eyes, his ears, his hands, his 
feet, his sense of “feel” and his experience. 
To that he adds his skill and daring. 

I know I am called a “daredevil” and 

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Preparation , the Big Item 

pointed to as a man Jacking the sense of fear. 
But I am not. I take chances, of course. 
Every racing driver does. But I eliminate as 
many of the chances as possible through thor¬ 
ough preparation. I have had two or three 
accidents recently, but none were of serious 
consequence—partly due to foresight and 
partly to experience. Any man who goes 
faster than one hundred miles an hour is tak¬ 
ing chances, but if he exercises great care in 
advance, the chances against him are reduced. 

I learned my lesson years ago. Before a 
race I personally see that my car is right in 
every single respect. Every good driver does 
the same. A little neglect not only may mean 
the loss of a race and purse, but of life. It 
sometimes takes a week or more to prepare a 
car. Certainly for the first event of a season 
it means a month; and a month of hard work 
it is, too. The men who win nowadays are 
those giving most work to this before-the-race 
duty. The man who makes a success of his 
touring is he who gets ready, too. It is the 
same in everyday driving. 

Preparedness means seeing that your 

207 


car 


Barney Oldfield's Book for the Motorist 

is in perfect shape. From the radiator to the 
rear axle every part must be adjusted, care¬ 
fully set and thoroughly tried out. Every 
part must be acting perfectly to get winning 
results. Frequently engines are torn down 
and re-built time after time to make for 
perfection. Transmissions, clutch, driving 
gears, brakes, springs, wheels, steering appa¬ 
ratus and all the various parts of the car, 
aside from the motor, must be given the same 
care as the engine. All must be tested to the 
limits. I have often seen drivers re-build cars 
the night before a race, after discovering some 
flaw or some lack of attention to a minor mat¬ 
ter. 

What profiteth a driver to have world's rec¬ 
ord speed, if a flaw develops in a race; if a 
gasoline line breaks, because of failure to 
tape it securely or some other detail is over¬ 
looked? In touring the majority of troubles 
come from carelessness and neglect. Dirt is 
allowed to accumulate; pipes become clogged; 
cars squeak; tires blow out; engines overheat; 
valves knock; motors lose power; springs 
break. 


208 


Preparation , the Big Item 

Before I start on a tour, I see that my motor 
is clean—both inside and out. All carbon 
must be removed. Valves must be ground 
and accurately adjusted. The ignition must 
be full of pep. The carburetor must be clean 
and adjusted for maximum efficiency. The 
radiator must be cleansed of all foreign sub¬ 
stances. There must be oil everywhere it 
is required. Grease cups must be filled. 
Wheels must be inspected for true alignment. 
Tires must be at proper air pressure. The 
battery must be fully charged; the generator 
nicely adjusted and the starter polished of all 
dirt. And these things must be kept ‘‘just 
so” to get all the joy out of life that motoring 
affords. 

With a car put in perfect shape for racing, 
it then becomes a question of speed and of 
skill. One must go the limit of speed, always 
bearing in mind the distance of the race and 
figuring upon what amount of 4 nursing is 
required for such a distance. Some drivers 
know nothing but speed. They win few races. 
Some know little, but trust to their daring. 
They seldom win. The consistent winner is 

209 



Barney Old field's Book for the Motorist 

he who mixes brains with gasoline and drives 
with his mind busy figuring every possibility 
as it comes up—the man who restrains him¬ 
self and his car and only does what he knows 
he can do and keep within the bounds of 
safety. 

Judgment of pace is one of the prime re¬ 
quisites of racing. This is just the same as 
horse racing. The jockey must know how 
much his horse can stand and how much he 
has in reserve. The racing driver must know 
what his car will stand. It is because many 
drivers lack this quality that they are brilliant 
only “in spots.*’ I do not believe I have ever 
made a record which I could not break to-day 
under the same conditions. 

When it comes to touring and cross-country 
driving, I am absolutely against speed. 
Touring cars are not generally provided with 
the special features which make for the pro¬ 
tection of the racing man. Consequently, 
fast driving on the road is dangerous. Cars 
are built to withstand all the knocks of ordi¬ 
nary driving and stand up under ordinary 
strains. They are not built to withstand the 

210 



Preparation , the Big Item 

terrific punches of racing—that is, all the 
minor features are not strengthened with this 
idea in view. I drive my touring cars at 
twenty to thirty miles per hour and am satis¬ 
fied. My cars stand up. I have little 
trouble. 

If every motorist would drive at a reason¬ 
able rate, his car would be good for one to 
three years more satisfactory running than if 
he speeds. Nothing kills a car as much as 
speeding. The owner who wants to keep his 
car several seasons and really enjoy driving 
will not speed. That motorist will bear in 
mind the story of the racing driver’s prepara¬ 
tion. He will watch his car and save repair 
bills and he will get real pleasure from his 
machine. 


211 



CHAPTER XVII 


THE REPAIR KIT FOR TOURING 

Despite the fact that cars are made nowa¬ 
days to stand long trips without special pro¬ 
visions for care, it frequently happens that 
minor troubles will he met. For this reason 
it is essential that the tourist be able to do 
emergency work and, consequently, carry 
with him a small assortment of first-aid mate¬ 
rials. A small quantity of tools and minor 
parts should always be in the car—especially 
when out for a week-end, a day or a month 
trip. 

When an owner receives his car, there is 
always an assortment of tools such as a pump, 
jack, monkey wrench, screwdriver and a 
special set of wrenches made to fit the parts 
of his particular car. Many owners allow 
these to get lost, but the good careful owner 

will see that they are carefully packed and 

'212 



The Repair Kit for Touring 

always in the car. They do not weigh much 
and if well-wrapped will not rattle or become 
an annoyance. It is not essential that a small 
machine shop be in the car, but a number of 
tools are necessary. 

The wise owner will see that his special set 
of tools is always with him and when he goes 
on a tour he will add a few specials for which 
he may find use any minute. For instance, 
the wise owner will have a few chain links 
and a chain tool for his anti-skid equipment. 
This saves annoying and damaging knocks 
against mud guards and insures a good fit for 
chains at all times. A file should always be 
on hand for adjusting ignition points and 
cleaning various parts of the car. Of course, 
pliers are absolutely essential for hundreds 
of purposes. 

A good heavy hammer is frequently needed 
to remove rims. Be sure of the weight of this 
particular article. A small square of plank¬ 
ing will often be found important in changing 
tires on sandy or muddy roads where there is 
a tendency for the jack to sink in the loose dirt. 
A strong handle should also always be with 

213 


Barney Oldfield's Book for the Motorist 

the jack. A folding pail should be. in the 
car, for sometimes water is not to be had ex¬ 
cept from a creek along the roadway and one 
should always be prepared to add water in an 
emergency. 

A quantity of waste or rags should always 
be on hand for cleaning delicate parts of the 
car and also for cleaning the person. When 
one is called upon to change tires or work 
around grease or oil, one quickly gets in a 
far from pleasing condition. A little gaso¬ 
line will assist in removing obstinate grease 
or dirt. A tow-rope should always be in the 
car when going any distance. It not only 
comes in handy in case of accident but can be 
used to wrap around tires on muddy roads or 
deep sand. An extra set of light bulbs and 
fuses should be a part of the tourist's equip¬ 
ment. 

Here is a list of requisites which take up 
little room, but which provide a peace of mind 
which goes to make touring a pleasure: 

AUTOMOBILE FIRST-AID KIT 

Wrench for adjusting ignition interrupter 
points. 


214 




HYATT HIGH DUTY ROLLER BEARING 
























































The Repair Kit for Touring 

File for cleaning above points. 

One set of ignition brushes (in box la¬ 
belled). 

Several extra spark plugs, cleaned and ad¬ 
justed, ready to use. 

Tow-rope. 

Half dozen valve plungers for inner tubes. 
Three-in-one tire valve tool. 

Tire pressure gauge. 

Jack and handle (be sure about the handle). 
Squirt can full of oil. 

Voltmeter or hydrometer for testing bat¬ 
tery. 

Box of assorted nuts. 

Box of assorted cotter pins. 

Box of assorted cap screws. 

Box of assorted washers. 

Spool of copper wire and one of soft iron 

wire. 

Full set of electric light bulbs. 

Bag of clean waste or rags. 

^Two blocks of wood, 6 x 12 x 1. 

Full set of fuses, if fuses are used. 

Folding pail. 

Chain tool and several cross links. 

217 


Barney Oldfield's Book for the Motorist 

The nuts, cap screws, washers and cotter 
pins of regular assortment and packed in 
boxes are carried by supply stores. These 
and several of the other articles may be packed 
in a cigar box for stowing away. 


213 



CHAPTER XVIII 


PROTECT YOUR CAR IN THE WINTER 

The cold weather bugaboo is a terror. 
Many motorists lay up their cars. Others bat¬ 
tle the enemy. I am in the latter crowd and 
I have been for many years. I have studied 
the problems offered by winter. From this 
study I offer those who brave the cold sug¬ 
gestions to make the fight easier. 

Protect your radiator and circulation sys¬ 
tem. 

Take care of your battery. 

Install some kind of good priming device. 

Watch your oils and greases—lighten them. 

Be particular in the care of your tires. 

Heat your garage. 

Secure a windshield wiper. 

Buy some of the well-tried comfort warm¬ 
ing devices. 

The most important thing to do is see that 

219 



Barney Oldfield's Book for the Motorist 

your radiator has a 11011 -freeze mixture. The 
best for weather which is not colder than five 
below zero is 15 per cent, of alcohol, 15 per 
cent, of glycerine and 70 per cent, of water. 
If it gets 'much colder increase the glycerine 
and alcohol five per cent. each. You should 
renew this now and then, for alcohol will evap¬ 
orate and you must allow for that. By keep¬ 
ing this mixture at the proper stage, you will 
save many times its cost in avoiding repairs 
on your radiator. 

In addition to the mixture in your radiator, 
I should say the use of a radiator cover is 
quite essential. In the colder climates I 
would also suggest the use of a hood cover as 
well. These covers hold heat within the 
engine when you stop for a short time and 
make starting easier. If you do not care to 
purchase a hood cover, you should use a robe 
over the hood. I have seen a number of 
robes with fasteners attached, so that they 
may be held in position. 

A number of new heating and priming de¬ 
vices are offered the public by various manu¬ 
facturers. They cost little and will pay for 

220 


Protect Your Car in the Winter 

themselves in gasoline saved in starting, to 
say nothing of the added comfort. Nearly 
every one of these devices have good points 
but your dealer can tell you just how thor¬ 
oughly they have proved themselves by actual 
use. 

If you do not want to go to this expense, 
you will find starting on a cold morning easier 
by priming your car and heating the intake 
manifold with a rag soaked in hot water. If 
you have electricity in your garage, you might 
install a small heater under your hood and 
leave it on at night. When your motor starts, 
leave it idle for two to five minutes to heat up 
thoroughly and get the oil flowing properly. 
Do not race the engine. 

It is important to keep your battery fully 
charged. Use your starter as little as pos¬ 
sible and drive as much as possible in daylight 
to charge it further. Chemical action is slow 
in cold weather. More current is required in 
turning over your engine. You burn your 
lights longer and generally call on your bat¬ 
tery for much more service. Hence, it is 

quite essential that it be kept fully charged. 

221 


Barney Oldfield's Book for the Motorist 

By all means test it at least one time a 
week to see what it needs. Then supply the 
needs. 

Winter driving requires thinner oils and 
greases. Figure out just what oil is best for 
your particular car in winter and stick to that 
as long as results are good. Too thin oils are 
as dangerous as too heavy oils. Consult your 
service man on this point. This applies not 
only to the engine but to the clutch and trans¬ 
mission. 

If you have heat connected with your ga¬ 
rage, see that it is turned on during the cold 
nights. If you have no heat, you should ar¬ 
range for some. It will save lots of work, 
worry and trouble and keep your car in run¬ 
ning condition. In the rain or snow a wind¬ 
shield cleaner is essential and many good ones 
are on the market at moderate prices. They 
make it possible to drive with comfort and 
care. You will need to use your chains fre¬ 
quently. Look them over and see that all 
broken links are repaired. 

As I have said, winter weather is a terror 
to tires. You find so much more water and 

222 




Protect Your Car in the Winter 

snow that you should give extra care to your 
tires. See that all cuts are promptly filled 
and keep out sand, dirt and water, as the fab¬ 
ric is more easily eaten up now than in sum¬ 
mer. 

For comfort a number of devices may be 
obtained at your dealer’s. I would surely 
suggest a heater to attach to your battery or ex¬ 
haust. Then there are electrical attachments 
to fasten on the steering wheel to warm the 
fingers. The feet and the hands suffer most 
from winter driving. Protect them. 

ANTI-FREEZING MIXTURE 

In freezing weather the water circulation 
system should be filled with one of the follow¬ 
ing anti-freezing solutions: 

For temperature not lower than 5 degrees 
below zero: 

Wood Alcohol.15 per cent 

Glycerine .15 per cent 

Water.70 per cent 

For temperature not lower than 15 degrees 

below zero: 


223 





Barney Oldfield's Book for the Motorist 


Wood Alcohol. ........ 17 per cent 

Glycerine .17 per cent 

Water.66 per cent 


About 6% gallons are required. Alcohol 
should be added occasionally to make up for 
evaporation. 


224 




CHAPTER XIX 


OVERHAULING THE CAR 

No matter how careful some drivers may 
be, in certain things, they are all inclined to 
neglect certain parts of their cars. The aver¬ 
age driver is careless about little irregularities 
in the engine. The poor driver is ignorant of 
the things which go to make riding easy and 
pleasant. It doesn’t make any difference to 
which class you belong, you should rejuvenate 
your steed of steel every now and then. 

Right here I’ll slip you a little tip that will 
secure better work for you and also save you 
money. Have your car overhauled during 
the early part of the fall months, while the 
shops are trying to keep full forces of mechan¬ 
ics. They don’t have rush jobs for tourists in 
a hurry, so they can give you more time and 
more careful work. At the same time, they 
will generally charge you less than in the bus¬ 


ier seasons. 


225 


Barney Oldfield's Book for the Motorist 

Of course, you may still get a world ol work 
out of your car before you lay it up for the 
winter, if you do this. Nevertheless you owe 
it to your comfort to have your car gone over 
early in the cold months, to say nothing of 
owing it to the car and to your purse. 

Maybe you can do the work yourself. I 
want to help you all I can with suggestions. 

The first thing is to inspect your car for rat¬ 
tles in the body, springs, wheels, top, brakes, 
doors, running hoards and fenders. You will 
he able to eliminate all of these yourself. It 
may mean a hit of work in overalls or an old 
suit, hut it will also mean a distinct saving to 
your purse. And really you will have con¬ 
siderable fun in doing it, and, besides, you’ll 
learn a lot of interesting points about your car. 

Go over your wheels carefully and see if 
the long dry summer has caused the spokes to 
shrink. They give out an irritating rattle 
when in this condition. The remedy is easy. 
Either use one of the compounds sold es¬ 
pecially for the purpose, or give a blacksmith 
a job. 

Examine the shackle bolts at the ends of 

226 



Overhauling the Car 

your springs, but, before tightening them, pry 
apart the leaves of the springs and grease thor¬ 
oughly with a mixture of heavy oil and graph¬ 
ite. Well-greased springs make a world of 
difference in the riding of your car, as well as 
stopping squeaks. 

The bows that carry your top may make ex¬ 
asperating noises. Strap them to end this an¬ 
noyance. 

Line up your wheels by the use of a cord. 
This saves tire wear and makes steering easier 
and safer. 

Get under your car and thoroughly investi¬ 
gate the way the body is bolted to the frame. 
See that the felt cushions between the metals 
are renewed where worn, and generally tighten 
up every bolt connecting the body and chassis. 
Make the doors fit snugly, and oil the hinges 
to prevent squeaks. Then tighten up every 
bolt holding the fenders—loose fenders are 
common causes of noise and easily remedied 
-—and tighten your windshield. If you have 
scattered your tools loose in their box, re¬ 
wrap them so they won’t contribute to your 

nerves by clashing with one another. 

227 



Barney Old field's Book for the Motorist 

If you do all these things properly, you will 
eliminate the greater number of annoyances 
which disturb the composure of autoists. The 
cost of this is negligible, the added joy im¬ 
measurable—especially if you have been a bit 
careless. 

You have one other part of your machine 
which you can fix yourself at little or no cost. 
This is the electrical system. Cleanliness in 
your electrical equipment is absolutely essen¬ 
tial. Many a selfstarter has refused to work 
because of dirt in the generator or in the con¬ 
nections. Going over your equipment is easy. 
Take it item by item, with care. 

First, clean all your spark plugs with a gas¬ 
oline bath and scrub with an old toothbrush. 
Dry carefully and reset the firing points. 

Turn next to your distributor and see that 
it’s carefully cleaned. Use a soft cloth or 
chamois. 

Now go to your generator and starting 
motor. Clean it thoroughly, examine the 
brushes and replace the worn ones. Remove 
all the carbon and other deposits from the 
housings and carefully re-dress the commu- 

228 



Overhauling the Car 

tator. If you're afraid to tackle this ticklish 
job, let an expert do it. 

Your wiring should be carefully inspected. 
See that all insulation is perfect and especially 
look out for frayed parts which lead to short 
circuits. Clean and secure thoroughly every 
terminal and every connection. Have your 
storage battery tested and renew it, if neces¬ 
sary—this may save a lot of money later. If 
the battery is very old, you may need new 
plates. Better have it examined at a service 
station. Examination costs nothing and may 
result in a big saving from a later trouble. 

When all this is done you may turn to 
your transmission and running gear. No ex¬ 
pert is needed here except in rare instances. 
Briefly, you should take up lost motion in your 
steering gear and feed it a bit of castor oil. 
Inspect, clean and adjust the clutch. If this 
is of disc plates, a few drops of oil will help. 
Clean your transmission case and gears. 
Clean and oil the universal joints and differ¬ 
ential. Adjust your brakes and inspect the 
linings. Clean and grease your wheel bear¬ 
ings. Clean your muffler. Remove all dirt 

229 



Barney Oldfield s Book for the Motorist 

from your dust pans. You should even re¬ 
move your oil case and clean it. Remove all 
the rust from tire rims and re-paint them. Be 
certain that you have plenty of lubricant in 
the transmission and differential; that all 
grease cups are packed and that the universal 
joints on the propeller shaft are likewise right. 

This will bring you to where you may find 
it advisable to call upon the repairman,—the 
engine. There may be a lot of knockings 
from many causes. The most likely of these 
are pre-ignition; too-far advanced; spark 
loose hearings, broken piston rings, worn pis¬ 
ton cylinders or timing gears. You’re pretty 
sure to have a lot of carbon unless vou have 

J 

been careful all summer. So the first thing 
to do is to remove this carbon and to grind 
your valves. While the head of your cylin¬ 
ders is off, examine the pistons and cylinders. 

Look over your piston rings and see that 
they fit. After this is done, there may he a 
loose hearing or so. Let an expert do the 
work. In fact it is safer to have an expert go 
over your engine, but you might stand by and 
see that he repairs only the parts that need 

230 



Overhauling the Car 

repairing. Go over the engine with him. It 
will be worth your time and may save money. 
And, while you’re doing this, look after the 
oiling system and tighten up all water con¬ 
nections. 

POINTS OF IMPORTANCE TO BE WATCHED 
WHEN OVERHAULING 

Transmission and Running Gear 

Take up lost motion in steering gear. 
Inspect, clean and adjust clutch. 

Clean transmission case and gears. 

Clean universal joints. 

Clean differential. 

Adjust brakes and brake linings. 

Clean and adjust wheel bearings. 

Clean springs and inspect and adjust 
shackle bolts. 

Clean out muffler. 

Remove rust from tire rims and apply 
graphite or special rim paint. 

Electrical System 

Clean and adjust spark plugs. 

Clean timer and distributor. 

231 




Barney Oldfield's Book for the Motorist 

Clean out housings and starting motor and 
lighting generator. 

Examine brushes and replace where neces¬ 
sary. 

If commutator has worn to an irregular 
surface, have it cleaned and trued up. 

Have storage battery tested and clean and 
tighten terminals. 

Engine 

Be guided by general efficiency, as it may 
not he necessary to effect any extensive renew¬ 
als, etc. Probably it may be sufficient to 
grind or re-seat valves, renew leaking gaskets 
and thoroughly clean out the water circulation 
system. 

Satisfy yourself that all grease cups are 
filled, that there is ample lubricant in trans¬ 
mission and differential, and that the universal 
joints on the propeller shaft are well packed 
with hard grease. Go over these item by item 
with the repairman before you accept delivery 
of your overhauled car. 


232 


CHAPTER XX 


COLD WEATHER DRIVING 

Comfort is the cry of the motorist. Es¬ 
pecially is this true when cold weather, with 
all its trying attendants for motorists, holds 
forth. 

Manufacturers have steadily increased the 
number and quality of comfort-making de¬ 
vices the past few years, until it would seem 
they have covered the field. But they have 
missed a number of details. These devices 
are now extras, but soon they will become reg¬ 
ular equipment. It was only a few years 
ago that every motorist had to spend quite a 
sum for what are now supplied as essentials. 
The same process will soon work out on de¬ 
tails I now have in mind. 

The enclosed car rules the motor world 
when cold weather holds forth, though many 
open cars are freely used. The manufacturer 
has spent vast sums on refinements and lux- 

233 




Barney Oldfield’s Book for the Motorist 

uries for closed cars. Yet a crying need has 
been generally overlooked. That is an effec¬ 
tive heater. This could be easily arranged by 
the use either of exhaust heat or electricity. 
The latter is preferable. Yet it is not pro¬ 
vided regularly. Why should a motorist get 
in a refrigerator-cold car to ride from one 
warm place to another? 

When open cars are used to any extent in 
cold weather, tops are raised and curtains 
tightly fastened, making for closed car condi¬ 
tions as far as possible. Heat should he pro¬ 
vided as well. 

A crying need of motorists is heat for the 
passengers. Many devices are on the market. 
My preference is for the one that uses elec¬ 
tricity. 

The devices making use of exhaust heats 
have many enthusiastic users. Certainly a 
tried device of some kind should be installed, 
whether you have an open or a closed car. 

The one absolute necessity in the cold or 
even mildly cold climate is a device for easier 
starting. A few manufacturers have worked 

out devices for their cars, while many acces- 

234 


Cold Weather Driving 

sory makers have added them to their lines. 
I am of the opinion that an effective primer 
using high-test gasoline from a reserve supply 
answers this demand. Yet my eye has been 
effectively caught by several other devices— 
notably those vaporizing gas or heating intake 
manifolds. If you can get one of these de¬ 
vices under a guarantee that means something, 
it will be well worth while to install it. It will 
make life worth living in the mornings or at 
any time after your car has been standing idle. 

These are the two prime necessities, if one 
wants to motor during the winter in any except 
the warm climates. I have spoken of the 
necessity for such attachments as radiator cov¬ 
ers, anti-freeze mixtures, windshield wipers, 
steering wheel heaters and other similar de¬ 
vices. 

Any manufacturer who has proven the 
worth of his device will guarantee its per¬ 
formance. Ask for such guarantee. If it is 
refused, don’t buy. Get a good article which 
has shown its merit. Not only are these de¬ 
vices required for comfort but they pay for 

themselves in economy of motoring. 

235 



Barney Old field 7 s Book for the Motorist 

In the winter too much stress cannot be laid 
on the absolute necessity for well-acting, 
properly adjusted brakes. Your own life and 
the lives of others are dependent upon this 
fact more than is realized by the great major¬ 
ity of motorists. I have spoken of this in an 
incidental way but I want to lay particular 
stress upon it now. With rain or snow mak¬ 
ing streets and roads slippery and unsafe it 
takes sane motoring to protect lives and cars. 
Be sensible. 

If you have not tested your brakes thor¬ 
oughly do so immediately, unhesitatingly. 
Make any needed adjustment. Inspect the 
linings and, if the latter are badly worn, re¬ 
place with new. The cost will not be regretted 
if a proper working brake saves a smashup. 
I have seen so many cars in the cities with 
brakes far from properly adjusted that I am 
appalled by the chances motorists take. 

I was once riding with a friend who insisted 
upon following closely behind another car. 
We were driving about eighteen miles an hour 
when the man in front stopped rather sud¬ 
denly to avoid an accident. My friend tried 

236 


Cold Weather Driving 

to follow suit. His brake was not properly 
adjusted. It did not hold. He hit the car in 
front. The crash was not bad, but the cost 
was quite a few dollars for new headlights, 
fender repairing, sheared grease cups and in¬ 
cidentals. And all without a possible excuse, 
for it is really criminal to have brakes which 
will not perform their functions in a pinch. 

You can never tell when the pinch will 
come. Learn a lesson from my friend. May 
be you will not be so lucky as he was. You 
can gamble I read him a lecture he will long 
remember. Not only about having ineffective 
brakes but for driving so close to the car in 
advance. Fix your brakes so they will de¬ 
liver when called upon. Also use superior 
judgment and avoid being forced into a pinch 
in so far as possible by keeping back a reason¬ 
able distance behind any car or wagon. 


237 


CHAPTER XXI 


HOW TO STORE THE CAR FOR WINTER 

Many motorists, living in the colder cli¬ 
mates and owning open cars, lay their ’busses 
up for the winter. Those who do this should 
look after a number of important things be¬ 
fore taking this step, if they would have their 
cars in good condition when put in use again. 
Winter storage is as dangerous and costly as 
winter use, unless protection of the proper 
kind is afforded the car. 

The two fundamentals which need most 
careful attention are the battery and the cool¬ 
ing system. The storage battery is a delicate 
affair and, unless given attention, is sure to 
become practically useless while in storage. 
Electrolyte freezes, plates break, jars collapse 
and, in general, the storage battery goes to 
wreck unless given proper care. The cooling 
system should be as carefully gone over before 
the car is laid up. 


238 




Ready for storage 






































































How to Store the Car for Winter 

The thing which should be done is to re¬ 
move the battery altogether and put it in stor¬ 
age at a service station for the length of time 
the car will be out of commission. If you 
do not care to do this, you should see that it is 
fully charged, absolutely disconnected and 
full of water. Be sure that the latter is prop¬ 
erly mixed by running the car a mile or so 
after filling and before storing. The solution 
should show a specific gravity of 1.28 to 1.30 
to prevent freezing. It must be re-charged a 
bit every few weeks, either by the generator 
of the car or through an outside source. 

The battery should be placed in a spot 
which is dry and free from dust. Corrosion 
will be caused by dampness. This is better 
than leaving it in the car, though it can be left 
in if given the once over and tested now and 
then. The least bit of wiring might cause 
the current to discharge and ruin the battery. 
Be sure also that you do not run the engine 
while the battery is disconnected or else you 
will burn out your generator through running 
on an open circuit. 

In laying up the car be sure that your room 

241 


Barney Oldfield's Book for the Motorist 

is dry and well-protected, with an even tem¬ 
perature, free from humidity. Be sure that 
no horses are in the building as ammonia 
fumes are harmful to the finish of the body. 
You should jack the car up and place it on 
suitable horses which may be made from any 
old lumber. Have it sufficiently high to clear 
the flooring by several inches. 

It is very important that the radiator should 
be drained and water jackets absolutely emp¬ 
tied. All should be filled with a hot soda 
solution and left for a few hours, after which 
the entire system should be flushed out with 
clean water. When thoroughly clean, run the 
engine about three minutes to dry out all the 
moisture. Disconnect all hose connections 
and stuff the openings with rags. After the 
cooling system is put right, go at the oiling 
system. 

Every bit of oil in the crankcase should be 
drained out. The case should be thoroughly 
cleaned with kerosene and then a little fresh 
oil put in. Run the engine a few minutes in 
order to insure just a film of oil on the moving 

parts and walls of the cylinders. All the old 

242 


How to Store the Car for Winter 

oil should be removed from the transmission, 
universal joints, rear axle, grease cups, etc., to 
prevent gumming and hardening during the 
lay-up. But be sure to remember this and re¬ 
fill in the spring. It is a good idea to tag the 
places from which greases and the like were 
removed. 

Drain off the gasoline system and clean out 
the vacuum tank. Force a soft wire through 
the gasoline pipe line to remove any foreign 
substance. The tires should be removed from 
the rims, thoroughly cleaned, given a coating 
of mica or talcum and placed one over the 
other. They should be carefully covered with 
burlap, to protect them from light, air or 
water. The tubes should be inflated just 
enough to hold their position. Rims should 
be cleaned and given a coat of paint to prevent 
rusting. 

Of course, the car should be carefully 
washed and polished. Get it as nearly like 
new, so far as finish is concerned, as is pos¬ 
sible. Dry out every little crevice and cor¬ 
ner and polish thoroughly. Clean the up¬ 
holstery and inside, getting all the dust. 

243 


Barney Oldfield’s Book for the Motorist 


Clean the top and, if essential, give it a coat 
of boiled linseed oil, if of leather. Put on 
the curtains and clean them too. Polish all 
brass and nickel parts and clean every instru¬ 
ment. Dust may be kept off with a thin coat 
of vaseline. See that all parts are free from 
dust or foreign accumulations and, having 
done so, slip a cover over the entire car and 
say good night to it. 


244 


CHAPTER XXII 


JOIN AN AUTOMOBILE CLUB 

Join an automobile club. Be an active 
member. Persuade your friends to follow 
suit. And work. Make your club an active, 
live organization, keeping it busy in further¬ 
ing the interests of motorists Help others and 
at the same time reap benefits yourself. 

I have seen so much good work done by 
clubs that I am an absolute enthusiast on the 
subject. Every motorist in America should 
be a member of an active association. He 
owes it to himself as well as to his community, 
for clubs not only help individuals but do 
much civic work worthy of praise. 

Following up the good of the local associa¬ 
tion the big national body lends a helping 
hand the country over. All clubs should be 
affiliated with a national organization. In 

this country the parent body which does na- 

245 


Barney Oldfield's Book for the Motorist 

tion-wide work is the American Automobile 
Association. Its activities are felt in all lines 
of endeavor which are for the betterment of 
motoring. It nationalizes the local club’s 
efforts. 

It is the local organization which lends its 
benefits mostly and particularly to the indi¬ 
vidual owner. It furnishes him with a meet¬ 
ing place for the discussion of motor subjects. 
It keeps him informed of all matters vital to 
local driving—from road conditions to epi¬ 
demics of auto-stealing. It brings him in 
touch with his fellows of the motor circle and 
gives him opportunities to consult them on 
all kinds of car subjects. 

But the greatest good done by the local 
motor club is of civic character. Laws are 
reformed at the suggestion of studious motor¬ 
ists. Roads are built upon the preachment of 
club members. Thieves are caught by the ac¬ 
tivities of the association. Tips are given on 
every side, the result of experiences of fellow 
clubmen. Signboards are placed, tours out¬ 
lined and hundreds of well-paying undertak¬ 
ings performed through club efforts. 

246 



Join an Automobile Club 


I know many miles of fine roadway built 
exclusively through the instigation and untir¬ 
ing work of motor clubs. I know of many 
thousands of signboards, warning notices and 
helpful bulletins erected and distributed by 
clubmen. I know of speed-traps made useless 
and of many frights to motorists removed 
through organizations. I know of so many 
good things done by clubs, which individuals 
could not have accomplished, that I want to 
lend any influence my words may have to the 
upbuilding of motor associations. 

Be a good citizen and good motorist by 
joining your local club. It will pay you. If 
there isn't a club convenient, organize one. 

Probably more good work has been done by 
the Automobile Club of Southern California 
than any other single association in the United 
States. This is said with a full realization of 
the wonderful activities by other clubs. But 
the Californians have been particularly active 
for years and the club is generally referred to 
as an ideal organization. 

Realizing the great drawing power of good 

roads in a community and then powerfully 

247 


Barney Oldfield's Book for the Motorist 


paying investment, this club has not only gone 
out and worked for the building and mainte¬ 
nance of roads, but has done much to keep 
them ideal for motorists. Signboards, warn¬ 
ing boards, road condition reports and all the 
thousand and one detail performances pos¬ 
sible to excellent motoring conditions have 
been accomplished. And yet the club is more 
active to-day than at any time in the past. It 
is a wonderful club to pattern after. 

Thousands are drawn from all parts of the 
country to California because of the civic vir¬ 
tues shown by this club. It pays all classes 
of citizens and is consequently fostered by 
many who are not motorists. 


248 


CHAPTER XXIII 


THE ANTI-GLARE PROBLEM 

The so-called anti-glare problem is a de¬ 
velopment of the last few years. In the days 
of oil lamps the chief difficulty was to obtain 
enough light to drive by and there was not the 
slightest danger of anyone’s being dazzled by 
the illumination from another car. With the 
acetylene lighting system illumination was 
much improved, but only towards the dawn 
of the electric-lighting age was there an acety¬ 
lene light of such brilliancy as to produce dan¬ 
ger of dazzling other users of the road. 
When electric lights came into general popu¬ 
larity, ail this changed. By using high-pow¬ 
ered bulbs and scientifically designed reflec¬ 
tors, it became possible to throw a beam of 
intense brilliancy, which would temporarily 
“blind” anyone approaching it. 

This finally produced a crisis in the matter, 

so that various law-making bodies took up the 

249 


Barney Oldfield's Book for the Motorist 

matter and state and municipal laws were 
passed, forbidding the use of headlights that 
were capable of dazzling users of the highway. 
The car owner has somewhat of a divided in¬ 
terest in this question, for in the first place he 
wants enough light to drive by in safety and 
yet he does not want to be blinded by the head¬ 
lights of every car that he passes on the road. 

We will first take up the problem of secur¬ 
ing satisfactory light from the user’s stand¬ 
point. To begin with it must be understood 
that many lamps will only give adequate light 
when they are fitted with a certain type and 
size of bulb. The motorist should find out 
what bulb gives the best service with his lamps 
and should always have a supply on hand, 
even to carrying spares in the car. Special 
cases may now be had to prevent breakage of 
bulbs carried in the car. 

Not infrequently it happens that the bulb is 
imperfect after it is bought. Sometimes there 
is too much solder on the base, so that it does 
not make a perfect contact. In this case the 
owner can file off the solder, which will rem¬ 
edy die trouble. 


250 


The Anti-Glare Problem 

Another cause of faulty lighting is im¬ 
proper adjustment of the bulb. The bulbs 
have got to be focussed, if you are going to 
get really good lighting. Drive your car up 
facing a wall or the side of a ham or similar 
location; about twenty feet away will be the 
right distance. Fix the bulbs so that they are 
as far back from the reflectors as possible. 
The light circle thrown by the lamps should 
have a black spot in the centre. In case the 
black spots do not appear, it means that the 
adjustment is limited in its movement to the 
rear. If the black spot is away from the cen¬ 
tre, it means the filament is not in the axis of 
the reflector. This trouble is sometimes 
caused by the bulb not seating quite right and 
a half turn given to the bulb before putting it 
back in the socket may remedy the difficulty. 
If the bulb shows a tendency to spring out of 
correct alignment, it means that something is 
wrong with the socket. 

After the black spot has been brought into 
the exact centre of the circle of light thrown by 
the lamp, it must be adjusted to get rid of this 
dark area. By means of the adjustment move 

251 


Barney Oldfield's Book for the Motorist 

the bulb forward until the black spot disap¬ 
pears. 

There are a lot of different kinds of de¬ 
vices used for making adjustments in lamps. 
In some of them the bulb itself is moved and 
in others a screw at the back makes the ad¬ 
justment, while in still others the rim of the 
lamp is moved. In the type where the bulb 
itself is moved, you must he careful not to 
loosen the bulb from its base when making 
adjustments. 

Another source of faulty lighting is found 
in lost motion existing between the socket and 
the bulb. When this occurs the centre line of 
the filament does not coincide with the centre 
line of the reflector, which distorts the image 
cast by the lamp. Some bulbs are made so 
that the centre of the filament is off the centre 
line of the base; poor light is the result, but 
sometimes by shifting the bulb around this 
can be remedied. 

Just as every other part of the motor car 
demands attention, the lamps ought to be given 
periodic inspections. See that the filaments 
are properly lined up with the bases. When 
any bulb seems questionable in this respect, 

252 


The Anti-Glare Problem 

the thing to do is to replace it with a new one. 

Now coming down to controlling the light 
supply so that it may serve the user without 
injuring others, we find that most anti-glare 
laws provide that no beam of direct light shall 
he thrown higher than forty-two inches above 
the ground. As a matter of fact this does 
the motorist no injury, as he needs the light on 
the road and not in the air. Some lamps have 
an adjustment so that their beams may be 
directed down to comply with such laws, or it 
is very easy to have the brackets bent over, 
which serves the same purpose. 

Supplementing this, there are many so- 
called glare-removers on the market, designed 
to control the light so that the driver gets all 
that he needs on the road, without any of the 
dazzling beams being thrown into the eyes of 
approaching users of the road. 

There are certain definite methods of han¬ 
dling the problem of glare removal. One 
type removes the glare at the bulb, which may 
be done by actual dimming or by using non¬ 
glaring colors, by partly covering the hull) and 
by frosting. Another type of device elim¬ 
inates the glare at the reflector and in this case 

253 


Barney Oldfield’s Book for the Motorist 

the color of the light may be altered, the upper 
portion of the reflector may be offset from the 
lower to throw the light down on the road or 
the upper range of the reflector may have an 
inclined axis for deflecting the brilliant rays. 
The third class eliminates the glare at the 
lens or glass front. In this case the glass 
front may be so constructed that it deflects or 
diffuses the dazzling beams or it may be 
frosted or colored, usually amber, or it may 
be covered by a shield to eliminate the bright 
beams in the forbidden area. Some of these 
lenses are designed to redirect or bend down 
the glaring light. 

Some states stipulate that certain forms of 
glare-removing devices shall be used, while in 
others the bending over of the headlight brack¬ 
ets so that the light is directed downward is 
all that is necessary. At the last count there 
were twenty or more states with anti-glare laws 
and before long practically every one of them 
will have some law of this sort. So it is im¬ 
portant for the motorist who intends to tour, to 
get a set of glare-removers that are generally 
approved, so that he will be within the law in 
every state. 


254 


CHAPTER XXIV 


DRIVING SUGGESTIONS AND DON’TS 

Always keep your car under perfect control. 

Become thoroughly familiar with your lo¬ 
cal traffic regulations and follow them to the 

letter. 

Practice shifting gears until you know in¬ 
stinctively from the car s speed just when you 
should make each shift. 

Put the gears in second speed when driving 
in heavy traffic where sudden starting and stop¬ 
ping is necessary. 

Speed up on approaching a hill. 

Drive using the lower gears. Shifting of 
gears really shows a good driver and at the 
same time often prevents stalling the engine 
in a dangerous place. 

Never speed your engine up during the first 
200 miles of its life. 

Consider the man in the other car. 

Drive slowly at turns in the road, in order 

255 


Barney Oldfields Book for the Motorist 

to have sufficient time to avoid a vehicle that 
may he coming toward you. 

Drive slowly at cross roads for another car 
may he coming, attempting to cross at the 
same time. 

On bridges, embankments and narrow roads 
take a slow pace, keeping the car under instant 
control. 

On approaching the brow of a hill be sure 
that you are on the right side of the road. 
Someone may he approaching from the oppo¬ 
site direction. 

Slow down when a horse ahead shows signs 
of fright, and, if necessary, stop the engine. 

Do not follow a car too closely, for it may 
stop without warning. 

Do not race with anyone on the road, as this 
has caused die majority of automobile acci¬ 
dents. 

Stop when there is an accident, whether it 
is your fault or not, and render all the assist¬ 
ance possible. 

Sound the horn when approaching a turn in 
the road or the brow of a hill, for another car 
may be coming toward you. 

256 


Driving Suggestions and Donts 

In passing a car from the rear, always 
sound your horn as the driver of the car may 
unintentionally cut-in ahead of you. 

Accustom yourself to the use of the brakes. 

Learn to judge distances and speed at which 
a car travels. Ability to estimate speed may 
prevent accidents. 

Don’t forget, above all else, that an auto¬ 
mobile is a fine piece of machinery and that 
you will be repaid in excellence of service 
many times for the care and attention given it. 

Don’t start on a trip without attention to 
lubricating oil, gasoline and water. 

Don’t fail to keep your brakes adjusted. It 
is more necessary to be able to stop a car than 
to start it. 

Don’t leave the car alone with the engine 

running. 

Don’t fail to release the hand brake before 
attempting to start. 

Don’t attempt to start the engine unless the 
spark is retarded and the switch key inserted 
and turned in the switch. 

Don’t spend a lot of time cranking the en¬ 
gine with the starter if it fails to start after 

257 


Barney Oldfield's Book for the Motorist 

a few trials. Look for the cause of the 
trouble. Continuous cranking runs down the 
battery. 

Don’t jam the gear shifting lever from low 
to reverse, or vice versa, until the car has come 
to a dead stop, and then take your time. 

Don't drive fast or apply the brakes sud¬ 
denly on wet pavements. 

Don’t fail to use plenty of lubricating oil 
and grease where needed before starting on 
any trip and do not use a cheap grade of oil 
or grease at any time. 

Don’t neglect necessary adjustments and re¬ 
pairs until it is too late and you are laid up by 
the roadside. 

Don’t attempt to run the car on the electric 
starter. 

Don’t race the engine. You cannot abuse 
the engine worse than by allowing it to race at 
high speed without a load. 

Don’t start your car with a jerk. Always 
engage the clutch gradually, and see that the 
car starts off easily. 

Don t advance the spark lever when crank¬ 
ing. 


258 


Driving Suggestions and Donts 

Don’t attempt to shift the gears without first 
releasing the clutch. 

Don't rush a repair joh. Remember, 
“what is worth doing at all is worth doing 

well.” 

Don't drive fast around corners; it is dan¬ 
gerous and destructive, especially to tires. 

Don't fail to examine electrical connections, 
gasoline and oil lines and bolts and nuts occa¬ 
sionally, and see that everything is intact. 

Don't neglect your lamp connections. It is 
very easy when washing a car to disconnect 
one of the wires. 

Dont leave switch key turned in sivitch 
when the engine is not running. This will 
run down one-half of the storage battery and 
will be liable to injure the ignition unit. 


259 


CHAPTER XXV 


SEMI-MONTHLY INSPECTION OF CAR 

(As given by a manufacturer and endorsed by 
me.— B. 0.) 

% 

Too much emphasis cannot be laid on the 
importance of inspecting your car regularly. 
Every piece of machinery in a well ordered 
establishment receives systematic and frequent 
inspection and lubrication. It is as neces¬ 
sary for you to inspect and lubricate your car 
if you care to have it give satisfaction and 
service as it is for the manufacturer to have 
regular and frequent attention given to his 
shop equipment. An automobile, while cost¬ 
ing much less than some shop equipment, is 
subjected to the hardest kind of use in driving 
over rough streets, around sharp turns and 
with perhaps several bursts of speed in every 
hundred miles of travel. Therefore it is 
necessary that you pay strictest attention to its 
lubrication and inspection. 

260 


Semi-Monthly Inspection of Car 

Follow your lubrication chart, and the lu¬ 
brication diagram very closely and do not, un¬ 
der any circumstances, neglect giving your car 
a regular, thorough and systematic semi¬ 
monthly inspection. 

It is important that the compression in all 
the cylinders should be equal and up to the 
proper standard. Faulty compression may be 
shown by loss of power or missing of the en¬ 
gine. Compression should be tested occasion¬ 
ally by cranking the engine with switch key 
out until resistance is felt in each of the four 
cylinders successively. If the compression in 
one cylinder is less than others or if all are 
weak, the valves may not be seating properly. 
It may be on account of too little clearance be¬ 
tween the valve stems and the valve lifters, 
or because there is a small deposit of carbon 
on the seat of the valve. Either of these faults 
should be taken care of at once. If a valve 
seat is allowed to remain coated with carbon 
for any great length of time it becomes badly 
pitted and much harder in the end to grind to 
a smooth seat. 

Inspect the wiring, terminals and spark 

261 


Barney Oldfield's Book for the Motorist 

plugs. See that all connections are tight and 
the insulation is in good condition. Examine 
the storage battery by removing the small vent 
caps and taking hydrometer readings. See 
that all cells are filled to the proper level with 
pure distilled water. 

Inspect the radiator to cylinder water con¬ 
nections for possible leaks in the hose. The 
importance of having water tight connections 
is emphasized by the fact that there is likely to 
be no circulation of the water in the cooling 
system unless the radiator is kept full. Be 
sure there is no obstruction to the flow of water 
through the radiator tubes. With restricted 
circulation, as with no circulation, there is 
grave danger of your engine overheating. 

Inspect the carburetor and gasoline line for 
any possible leaks. A small leak will cause 
an unnecessary waste of gasoline. See that 
the gasoline line packing nuts are tightened 
properly and that the flow of gasoline to the 
carburetor is unrestricted. 

Inspect the fan belt for proper tension to 

turn the generator. Do not wait for the fan 

262 


Semi-Monthly Inspection of Car 

belt to break before replacing with a new one 
as an excessively worn or stretched belt will 
not drive the generator at a sufficient speed to 
generate the necessary current to keep the 
storage battery in condition. 

Examine foot and hand brakes. See that 
all connections, such as clevis pins and lock 
nuts for turnbuckles, are secure, that parts are 
not rust bound and that the brakes are in 
proper working order. 

Inspect all steering connections for loose 
nuts and bolts. Keep the steering gear and 
steering connections in proper working order. 
A small amount of attention to these parts will 
add much to the ease of operation and the 
pleasure of driving your car. 

Inspect the spring bolts and hangers. Keep 
the spring clips tight. Be sure that the rear 
spring seats are free to move on the axle hous¬ 
ing, and that front and rear springs are held 
tightly to their respective seats. Bear in mind 
that springs are less apt to break if the spring 
clip nuts are kept tight. 

Tighten all wheel, body, and fender iron 

263 



Barney Old field's Book for the Motorist 

bolts. Inspect all bracket bolts and be sure 
they are tight. This will eliminate annoying 
rattles, and will add to the life of your car. 

Examine the tires for any possible cuts or 
bruises. If not taken care of at the start, 
water and sand will work under the outside 
tread and cause blisters, which in time will 
loosen the entire tread. Remember that more 
than three-fourths of all tire trouble is due to 
under-inflation. 

Every two thousand miles, take off the front 
wheel hub caps, clean and examine the bear¬ 
ings, repacking same with lubricant. Heavy 
cup grease is most desirable. With the wheel 
jacked up, rock the wheel to see that it moves 
freely and shake the wheel sidewise to see if 
there is any play or lost motion in the bearing. 
Should there be any play, remove the wheel 
and inspect the bearings carefully. In the 
event that any of the balls have broken or be¬ 
come badly worn, it is better to replace them 
with a complete set of new balls rather than 
attempt to replace the worn balls only. If 
cones have become badly worn or scored, re¬ 
place with new. 


264 





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1 


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55 


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